https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/09/world/middleeast/gaza-hostage-rescues-israel.html
Israeli and American officials are increasingly worried about the health of the hostages, who have been subjected to mental and physical abuse over their long captivity.
A small group of hostages are believed to be held near Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’s leader in Gaza. They are human shields, and make it harder for Israel to target him.
Hamas leaders have also given standing orders to its fighters holding hostages that if they think Israeli forces are coming, the first thing they should do is shoot the captives, according to Israeli officials. If hostages were killed on Saturday, as Hamas claims, it might have been at the hand of the militants, not because of an Israeli airstrike.
http://linkedin.com/in/richard-d-clarke-815964252
Richard D. Clarke is retired head of U.S. Special Operations Command.