JERUSALEM-- The Israeli prime minister’s office says HAMAS is holding foreign nationals hostage inside Gaza, along with 200 Israeli citizens abducted during the terrorist group's Oct. 7 attack.
In response to a Globe Banner question at the Oct. 18 daily press briefing, inquiring as to what extent Israel planned to allow non-combatants to leave Gaza, Eylon Levy said foreign nationals actually have been barred thus far from leaving Gaza by HAMAS, as the Israel government has tried to faciliate their exit.
“The arrangements were in place the other night to allow foreign nationals to leave the Gaza Strip in full coordination (with the Israeli government)," Levy said. "It was, in fact, HAMAS that prevented these foreign nationals from leaving the Gaza Strip, effectively therefore using these foreign nationals as hostages inside the Gaza Strip, addition to the 200 innocent men, women and children who are also being held hostage by HAMAS and Palestinian Islamic Jihad inside the Gaza Strip."
Levy said the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Israel is the only one remaining.
"There is one civilian crossing between the Gaza Strip and Israel and it no longer exists," he said. "That crossing has been completely destroyed."
Tens of thousands of Palestinians had used the crossing to enter Israel to work each day.
A former TV anchor and correspondent, Levy recently joined the the Office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as his spokesman.
He worked as International Media Advisor to Israeli President Issac Herzog from Aug. 2021 through April 2023, according to his Linkedin page.