Hamas, which launched an attack on Israel on Saturday, has claimed to have captured Major General Nimrod Aloni of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF).
The Palestinian resistance group launched 5,000 rockets into Israel from Gaza, followed by gunmen infiltrating areas in the southern region of the country as part of its "Operation Al-Aqsa Storm".
According to The Telegraph, the IDF — responding to pictures circulating on social media showing General Aloni taken captive by Palestinian fighters — has denied the capture of the senior military officer who commands the Israeli army's "Depth Corps", a unit specializing in operations against Hamas, Hezbollah, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).
Commenting on the situation, Saleh al-Arouri — head of Hamas's political bureau — claimed that Hamas forces have captured senior officers of the Israeli military.
The Israeli military was aware of reports of captives, a security source said but provided no further details as an Israeli military spokesman declined to comment in a briefing with reporters.
Hamas's claims of capturing Israelis have also been confirmed by Israel's N12 News.
General Aloni's alleged capture is significant as the senior military officer has previously served as commander of IDF's Gaza division and led the Israeli military's "Operation Guardian of the Walls" in 2021.
So far, according to The Jerusalem Post, 200 Israelis are reported to have been killed in the attacks so far.
Meanwhile, according to the Palestinian health ministry, there were "198 martyrs and 1,610 wounded with different injuries" in the conflict after Israel launched retaliatory airstrikes in the Gaza Strip.
United States President Joe Biden, while speaking to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has assured of "appropriate means of support" to Israel following Hamas's attacks.
Defending Israel's right to "defend itself", Biden warned any other party hostile to Israel from taking advantage of the volatile situation.