Monday, December 23, 2024

British-Israeli hostage among four who died in Hamas captivity

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British-Israeli hostage Nadav Popplewell was among four people who died while in Hamas captivity, the Israeli military has said.

The 51-year-old’s body remains in Gaza, it is understood.

He was taken hostage with his mother during the 7 October Hamas attack from their home in Nirim.

On Monday, Israel confirmed the deaths of the four hostages, including three elderly men seen in a Hamas video begging for their release.

The three, Amiram Cooper, Yoram Metzger and Haim Peri, were all age 80 or older.

Israel’s military spokesman, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, said the four men had died together in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis when Israel was operating there.

He said: “We are checking all of the options. There are a lot of questions.”

Hamas took some 250 hostages back to Gaza after their attack on Israel on 7 October, which also killed around 1,200 people.

More than 100 hostages were released during a ceasefire in November in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.

Of the roughly 130 remaining in Gaza, about 85 are believed to still be alive.

The Israeli offensive in Gaza has killed more than 36,000 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza.

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