The mother of an Israeli man thought to have been taken hostage by Hamas is "very worried" about her son but is hopeful that he'll return home safely.
Iris Haim's son Yotam lives in the south of Israel, not too far from Gaza. The Times of Israel reports the 28-year-old is a drummer in a heavy metal band.
On October 7, the day Hamas launched their incursion into Israel, Yotam disappeared and hasn't been heard from since.
He was last seen in a video he took, showing himself in the front door of his apartment in Kfar Aza, a kibbutz near the Gaza Strip. Gunfire can be heard in the background.
Israel estimates around 220 people are being held by Hamas and are currently being used to dissuade a ground invasion of Gaza.
"It's a very difficult time, of course, for me and all of Israel. We are not in our homes. We are separated from our son," Haim told Breakfast.
She said she is "very, very worried for all of the kidnapped people in Gaza".
Currently, Haim has no idea what's happened to her son, as she hasn't heard from him since the incursion began.
"Ten days ago, the army told us that just the phone [Yotam's phone] was there [Gaza]. We don't know for sure that he is there."
The last contact Haim had with Yotam was during the attack.
He told her about a "bomb attack" in the morning but dismissed it as that is "normal" near Gaza.
Things quickly changed when he told her there were "terrorists in the kibbutz" shooting and coming into houses. She hasn't heard from him since.
Haim described her son as a "very special person" who has been through a lot of hardships in his life, which makes him "strong". She hopes he is holding up while in captivity.
"All the time, he's trying to be stronger. So I believe he will survive this."
Haim also hopes her son is using his sense of humour to help others taken hostage to survive. She said the hostages are "cards in the game" between Israel and Hamas.
Yesterday, two hostages were released from Gaza, with Egypt and Qatar understood to be negotiating the release of 50 more.
"I hope they will treat them like human beings and not kill them because they need them," Haim said.
In retaliation for the October 7 attack, which Israel says killed 1400, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have hammered Gaza with near-constant airstrikes.
In the last 24 hours, nearly 700 people have been killed, according to the Gaza Health Ministry — which is run by Hamas.
There are 2.3 million people currently living in Gaza, who are quickly running out of food and water, with only limited aid making it into the region.
The Gaza Health Ministry says 5700 people have died since airstrikes began, including 2300 children.
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