Israel says it is opening an investigation after Hamas published photos purportedly showing the body of a hostage in Gaza.
Speaking at his weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that at this stage Israel could not verify the footage.
“We are in contact with the family and relevant notice has been issued to all families. Our hearts are with them,” Netanyahu said. He stressed that the Israeli government is committed to returning all hostages, including those who died.
The prime minister also said he spoke with the mother of the hostage who appears in the photos.
“It is difficult to describe the nightmare she endures. We embrace her and her family,” he said.
Hamas’ military wing said Saturday that a female hostage had been killed in an area of northern Gaza “under Israeli aggression.”
He was not identified by name but shared two photos of the hostage’s body. Israel has made no comment on the circumstances surrounding the alleged death.
More than 250 people were taken hostage and around 1,200 killed during the attacks carried out by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
A handful of hostages have since been rescued, and in November 2023, more than 100 were released under a short-lived hostage and ceasefire deal.
Some 101 hostages are still being held in Gaza, 97 of whom were taken on October 7, Israeli authorities estimate. At least 34 of the hostages taken on October 7 are believed to have died.
Israel has previously accused Hamas of releasing images and information about the hostages as a form of “psychological terror” aimed at increasing pressure on Netanyahu’s government to reach a ceasefire deal. fire.
Near-weekly protests calling on the government to secure the release of the hostages have taken place across Israel, including near Netanyahu’s residences, often involving members of the hostages’ families.
Last week, pressure on Netanyahu intensified with the International Criminal Court’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for him.
Meanwhile, negotiations for a ceasefire deal for the hostages in Gaza are virtually at a standstill.
Except for a brief flurry of activity last month, there have been no real negotiations since six Israeli hostages were executed by Hamas and discovered in a Gaza tunnel in late August.
Qatar announced this month that it was suspending its role as mediator in negotiations between Israel and Hamas after concluding that the two sides were no longer negotiating in good faith.
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