One of the Israeli hostages being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip has likely given birth in captivity, Israel announced Monday night.
Officials said the woman was nine months pregnant when she was abducted by Palestinian terrorists on Oct. 7.
The officials stressed that the working assumption was not based on specific intelligence.
Hamas took some 240 people hostage during its Oct. 7 attack on Israeli communities in the northwestern Negev. More than 1,200 people, mostly civilians, were killed and thousands were wounded.
The youngest hostage is Kfir Bibas, who was nine months old when he was taken to Gaza with his parents and a sibling. Other hostages have medical conditions, and their families are worried they have no access to medication.
Hamas has denied the International Red Cross any access to the captives.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told NBC News‘ “Meet the Press” on Sunday that there could be a hostage deal with Hamas, but declined to elaborate.
“I think the less I say about it, the more I’ll increase the chances that it materializes,” the prime minister said.
So far the IDF has succeeded in freeing one hostage, Pvt. Ori Megidish, 19, on Oct. 30, three weeks after Hamas kidnapped her from the army’s Nahal Oz Base.
Hamas released a mother and daughter with dual Israel and American citizenship on Oct. 20 and two elderly women on Oct. 23.
Asked if he knew where the hostages were being held, Netanyahu said: “We know a great deal, but I won’t go beyond that.”
On Monday, The Washington Post reported that Israel and Hamas are considering a deal that would include the release of most of the women and children being held hostage by the Palestinian terror group.
In exchange, Jerusalem would agree to a temporary ceasefire of up to five days, allow an influx of goods into the Strip and release jailed Palestinians.
