The Israeli Army said on Friday that most of the hostages being held in the Gaza Strip by the Hamas militant Palestinian organisation are still alive.
However, the army did not say where they got the information and it cannot be independently verified.
Tensions have been particularly high in the wake of bloody attacks and massacres in Israel on October 7 carried out by Hamas, which is classified as a terrorist organisation by the European Union, the United States and Israel.
About 203 hostages are being held in the Hamas-controlled coastal enclave, including more than 20 children and teenagers, according to Israeli military sources.
Between 10 and 20 hostages are elderly people over 60, it said.
Between 100 to 200 people are still missing since the unprecedented attack getting to two weeks ago.
