JERUSALEM: The Israeli military said on Monday that four more of the Israeli hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 have died in captivity.
The military identified the four men as Chaim Peri, Yoram Metzger, Amiram Cooper, and Nadav Popplewell, all of whom were filmed alive in hostage videos posted by Hamas.
Military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that new intelligence led to confirmation of their deaths. Hamas had posted a video of Popplewell last month and said that he had died of wounds sustained during an Israeli air strike.
“We estimate the four of them were killed together in the area of (the southern Gaza city) Khan Younis a number of months ago while being held by Hamas terrorists, at the time IDF forces were operating in Khan Younis,” Hagari said.
“We are thoroughly examining the circumstances of their deaths and checking all possibilities. We will present soon the findings, first to their families, and then to the public,” he said. “We will present them with transparency, as we have done until now.”
Of the more than 250 people abducted on October. 7, about 120 remain in Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. Many have been declared dead by Israeli authorities.
Peri was at his house in Kibbutz Nir Oz during the Hamas attack. He tried to repel the gunmen while hiding his wife behind a sofa, his son later told Reuters. He eventually gave himself up to save his wife, who remained hidden.
Cooper and Metzger, also from Nir Oz, were captured along with their wives, both of whom were returned to Israel during a brief November truce.
Popplewell, according to a hostages support group, was captured with his mother from her home in Kibbutz Nirim. His brother was killed during the attack. His mother was freed during the November truce.
(REUTERS)
