Iran Press/ West Asia: The estimated number of Hamas-held captives killed in Gaza due to Israeli strikes is around 50, said Abu Obeida, a spokesman for the al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed wing, on Thursday according to the al-Qassam Brigades' Telegram account.
Earlier on Thursday, the Israeli military said that the number of people confirmed held hostage in the Gaza Strip since the October 7 cross-border raids by Hamas had reached 224, and could rise further.
In Washington, the White House said US President Joe Biden and Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed "ongoing efforts to locate and secure the release" of Americans believed held hostage in Gaza.
Biden also stressed to Netanyahu the "importance of focusing on what comes after this crisis to include a pathway for a permanent peace between Israelis and Palestinians," the White House said.
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