Some Mumbai hostages freed; Chabad house still under siege *

A standoff continues in India between commandos and terrorists. Yesterday’s attacks have left more than 100 dead, though it’s not clear who organized the coordinated attacks. Regardless, Muslims have condemned the terrorists as “animals.”

The attacks hit a nerve with Jews worldwide after it was learned that hostages had been taken at the Nariman House, which is owned by Chabad, and that the Lubavitcher rabbi hadn’t been heard from since the attacks began. This story in the JPost reminded me of one of the opening scenes from “The Paper”: 119 dead, none from Israel.

And now there are reports that at least some of the Nariman hostages have been freed:

Eight Jewish hostages held by Islamic terrorists were released from the Chabad House in Mumbai on Thursday evening in an Indian commando operation, according to a state official.

The condition and identities of the hostages were unclear.

The commando raid was continuing, however, with the remaining members of the five families taken hostage still being held.

Nevertheless, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said that the information received by Israel was only “partial” and that the Foreign Ministry could not confirm that eight hostages had been freed.

The fate of the Chabad rabbi, Gavriel Holtzberg, and his wife still aren’t clear. Gunshots have been reported at the Nariman. But CNN reported that their 18-month-old child and eight others were released. God willing ...

Indian commandos are about to, or maybe already have begun, a raid of the Nariman House to free the remaining hostages.

*Updated: Indian news organizations are reporting that all hostages have been freed from the Nariman House, though a few terrorists remain inside. I would not want to be in their shoes at this moment. They are about to get leveled.

No word from Chabad.