Hamas's military wing announced today (Shabbat) that a female Israeli hostage has died in northern Gaza, during ongoing military operations in the region. The Israeli military is currently investigating the claim.
Abu Obeida, spokesman for the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, said contact was recently reestablished with the hostage's captors after weeks of silence. The captors reported she had died in an area where Israeli forces have been conducting operations. No details were provided about the hostage's identity or the circumstances of her reported death.
This development comes against the backdrop of the broader hostage crisis that began with Hamas's October 7 attack last year. Of the 251 people initially taken captive, 101 remain in Gaza. Israeli authorities have confirmed that 34 of these hostages are deceased.
The IDF just announced they are investigating new footage released by Hamas that allegedly shows a deceased hostage from the October 7 attacks.
Military officials say they are currently unable to verify the authenticity of the video. "At this stage, we cannot confirm or deny the information," the IDF spokesperson stated, adding that military representatives are in direct contact with the hostage's family and providing them with all available updates.
The IDF condemned Hamas's actions as "psychological terrorism," accusing the organization of continuing to act with cruelty. The military spokesperson also urged the public and media to exercise restraint in sharing unverified information that could cause additional distress to families of hostages.
Barron's contributed to this article.