DUBAI/JERUSALEM, Dec 8 (Reuters) - The armed wing of Hamas announced on Friday that it had successfully repelled an Israeli special forces' attempted hostage rescue operation in the Gaza Strip, resulting in multiple Israeli military casualties. Hamas also reported the death of one captive during the incident.

The Israeli government has chosen not to comment on the situation, stating that Hamas is engaging in psychological warfare against Israel. The Palestinian Islamist group, in a statement released on Telegram, revealed that its fighters discovered a special forces unit attempting a rescue mission. They engaged the unit, leading to the killing and injuring of several Israeli soldiers. However, the exact location of the incident was not specified in the statement.

Hamas identified the deceased captive as Sa'ar Baruch, 25 years old, who was one of the hostages taken during a cross-border attack by Hamas on October 7. According to Israeli authorities, Sahar Baruch, a civilian student who was 24 at the time of the abduction, is among the hostages still held in Gaza. The attack on October 7 initiated the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Currently, 137 individuals remain in captivity in Gaza, out of the approximately 240 hostages taken during the October 7 incident. Some hostages have been recovered since then through negotiation or during truces. Unfortunately, some have been declared dead in absentia by Israeli authorities.

Eylon Levy, an Israeli government spokesperson, declined to comment directly on the specifics of the Hamas account of the failed raid. He emphasized that Hamas bears full responsibility for the safety and well-being of the hostages. Israel continues to demand that the Red Cross be granted access to visit the hostages, a request that has not yet been fulfilled by Hamas.