The hostages who were killed in the Gaza Strip due to Israeli strikes on the Palestinian enclave is “about 50”argued today Thursday o Abu Obaidahthe spokesman for Hamas’s armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades.

Obeyda made the announcement on the organization’s Telegram account, without giving further details.

The Reuters agency was unable to confirm these numbers.

“Hamas often fabricates such statements, and also engages in psychological warfare against the families of the hostages as well as the general population” Israeli media comment.

Earlier on Thursday, The Israeli military announced that the number of hostages in the Gaza Strip since Hamas raids on October 7 reached 224 and may increase further.

IDF (Israel Defense Forces) spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari noted that the military has so far informed the families of 224 hostages that their relatives are being held in Gaza.

Four hostages have been freed since October 7, two American women and two elderly women whose husbands are still being held by the terrorists.

The armed forces of Israel also announced that the number of Israeli soldiers who have been killed since the start of the conflict in Gaza has reached 309.

Delegations of Hamas and Iran are in Moscow for talks, the first since the war broke out in the Gaza Strip about three weeks ago.

“I can confirm the presence of representatives of this Palestinian movement in Moscow”said the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Maria Zakharova.