CAIRO, November 1. /TASS/. The hostages held by supporters of the radical Palestinian movement Hamas are exposed to the same dangers as ordinary residents living in the enclave, a senior political leader of Hamas told the Al Jazeera TV channel.

"The Israeli hostages are in the same mortal danger and suffer the same heartache as our people," Ismail Haniyeh, the current chairman of Hamas's political bureau, said.

"The realization of their [Israeli] mistakes will cost them extremely dearly, and the hostages we are holding will pay for this realization with their lives," he added.

Tensions flared up again in the Middle East on October 7 when militants from the radical Palestinian group Hamas staged a surprise attack on Israeli territory from the Gaza Strip, killing residents of Israeli border settlements and taking hostages, including women, children and the elderly. Hamas described its attack as a response to the aggressive actions of Israeli authorities against the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City. Israel has announced a total blockade of the Gaza Strip and has been delivering air strikes on Gaza as well as some parts of Lebanon and Syria. Clashes are also underway in the West Bank.