Unknown Callers Spark Public Alarm in Israel

A wave of concern has swept across Israeli society following reports from several citizens who received phone calls from unidentified numbers, allegedly playing recordings believed to feature Israeli captives held in the Gaza Strip.

According to Yedioth Ahronoth, numerous Israelis reported receiving nighttime calls from unfamiliar local numbers. The calls reportedly included sounds of prisoners screaming, along with background noises of sirens and explosions. One of the recordings, the newspaper noted, featured audio from a video released by the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades—the military wing of Hamas—on May 10. The footage shows captive Yosef Chaim Ohana screaming, with fellow captive Elkana Bohbot appearing to be in poor health beside him.

The calls also contained messages in Hebrew, one of which stated: “People of Israel, there are still living hostages—why are you not doing anything?”

Separately, Israel Hayom reported that the Israeli police received dozens of complaints from citizens regarding these calls, amid growing concerns over their psychological impact.

Israeli Cybersecurity Authority Issues Warning

In its first official response, Israel’s National Cyber Directorate described the calls as an attempt to incite fear among the population. The authority urged the public to ignore the calls, disconnect immediately upon receiving them, and block the originating numbers. It added that relevant agencies are currently investigating the source and implications of the calls.

Escalation in Gaza and Mounting Political Tensions

These developments come amid a broad Israeli military escalation in the Gaza Strip and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to withdraw the Israeli negotiation delegation from Doha, Qatar—a move that has heightened tensions at multiple levels.

At the same time, public pressure on the Israeli government is intensifying, with demonstrations led by families of captives demanding an end to military operations and the pursuit of an agreement to bring the captives back home.

In a press conference held last week in West Jerusalem, Netanyahu stated that “20 Israeli hostages are believed to still be alive in Gaza, while an estimated 38 others are thought to have been killed”—a figure lower than previous military estimates.

Source: Al Arabiya