British man amongst 4 hostages to die in Gaza captivity, Israeli army says

A British man is amongst 4 extra hostages kidnapped by Hamas who’ve died whereas held captive in Gaza, Israel’s army has introduced.

Hamas claimed in Might that 51-year-old Nadav Popplewell had died after being wounded in an Israeli airstrike a month beforehand – prompting the UK International Workplace to say it was urgently in search of extra info.

The British-Israeli nationwide has now been confirmed by the Israeli army to be amongst 4 males to have not too long ago died whereas being held captive by Hamas, after being kidnapped through the Palestinian militants’ cross-border assault on 7 October, through which Popplewell’s brother Roi was killed.

The others had been named as Haim Perry, Yoram Metzger and Amiram Cooper, every of whom had been beforehand filmed alive in hostage movies posted by Hamas.

Israeli army spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari mentioned on Monday that new intelligence had led to affirmation of the 4 males’s deaths, which they mentioned befell within the southern metropolis of Khan Younis.

“We estimate the 4 of them had been killed collectively within the space of Khan Younis a variety of months in the past whereas being held by Hamas terrorists, on the time IDF forces had been working in Khan Younis,” Mr Hagari mentioned in remarks that had been broadcast.

“We’re completely analyzing the circumstances of their deaths and checking all potentialities. We are going to current quickly the findings, first to their households, after which to the general public,” he mentioned. “We are going to current them with transparency, as we have now executed till now.”

And with Benjamin Netanyahu’s authorities going through stress to just accept a brand new truce and hostages deal outlined by US president Joe Biden, Mr Hagari insisted on Monday that his nation’s forces would be capable of guarantee Israel’s safety in any Gaza deal finally selected.

International secretary David Cameron mentioned on Monday night time that he was “enormously saddened” to listen to of Popplewell’s dying, including: “My ideas are along with his family members at this horrible time for them.

“With a brand new deal on the desk, we reiterate our demand for Hamas to ship all hostages house.”

Yorkshire-born Popplewell was captured along with his 79-year-old mom, Channah Peri, from her house in Kibbutz Nirim on 7 October, based on the Hostages and Lacking Households Discussion board. She was launched throughout a brief ceasefire in November.

On 11 Might, Hamas revealed undated footage of Popplewell with a black eye, confirming his title to the digicam. However the militant group launched a second video hours later through which they mentioned he died of wounds sustained in a missile strike.

Israel has beforehand denied accusations by Hamas that hostages had been killed by Israeli hearth through the warfare through which Hamas-run well being authorities say greater than 36,000 Palestinians have been killed.

Of the greater than 250 folks kidnapped on the 7 October assault – which left 1,200 useless and triggered the warfare – round 120 hostages stay in Gaza, based on Israeli tallies. Many have been declared useless by Israeli authorities.

Peri, one other of the 4 males named on Monday, was at his house in Kibbutz Nir Oz through the Hamas assault. He tried to repel the gunmen whereas hiding his spouse behind a settee, his son later informed Reuters. He ultimately gave himself as much as save his spouse, who remained hidden.

Cooper and Metzger, additionally from Nir Oz, had been captured together with their wives, each of whom had been returned to Israel through the transient November truce.

Further reporting by Reuters