MOSCOW, October 8. /TASS/. Citizens of Israel, taken hostage by Palestinian militants in the southern Israeli city of Be’er Sheva have been released a few hours later, the Haaretz newspaper said.

It was not reported how many people were taken hostage.

The Al-Arabiya television channel reported earlier that representatives of Israel and radical Palestinian groups had started negotiations about the release of the hostages.

On the morning of October 7, rocket attacks were launched at the Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip. Simultaneously, groups of militants infiltrated the territory of Israel. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced it was launching Operation 'Iron Swords' in retaliation for the attack, coming from the Palestinian exclave.

Ismail Haniyeh, the current head of HAMAS's Political Bureau, said the Palestinian attack was launched in retaliation for Israel’s aggressive actions regarding the Al Aqsa mosque in central Jerusalem. Under these circumstances, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has approved a call-up of reservists. The state of emergency was declared over the entire territory of Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country was "at war" and was determined to win it.

According to latest reports, the rocket attacks left at least 300 Israelis dead and over 1,500 injured. Israel’s attacks on the exclave left over 230 Palestinians dead and almost 1,700 wounded.