As Israel’s war with Hamas nears the five-month mark, Israeli officials believe at least one-fifth of the hostages captured in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack who remain in the Gaza Strip have died, according to an internal Israeli military report reviewed by the New York Times, as both sides discuss a cease-fire and hostage release deal.
An Israeli tank at the Gaza border on Thursday, as Hamas and Israeli officials reportedly near a ... [+]
At least 32 of the 136 Israeli hostages believed to be held in the Gaza Strip have died since their capture last fall, the Times reported, topping previous Israeli estimates.
Israeli officers are assessing intelligence indicating another 20 of those hostages may have been killed in addition to the 32 confirmed dead, according to the report.
Hamas captured more than 240 hostages during its Oct. 7 raid in southern Israel, more than 100 of which were released during a temporary cease-fire in November in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
The report comes amid negotiations to renew a cease-fire between Hamas and the Israeli Defense Forces, a deal that would likely include the release of both hostages from Gaza and Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, though Israel and Hamas have failed to reach an agreement.
Forbes has reached out to the Israel Defense Forces for comment.
Hamas officials told Reuters last week they were reviewing a proposed six-week cease-fire agreement contingent on the release of more Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The deal, being brokered with help from U.S., Egyptian and Qatari officials, now hangs in the balance.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected proposals to withdraw IDF troops from Gaza in a speech last week, a key Hamas demand. Netanyahu vowed not to end the war “with less than the achievement of all its goals,” including the return of all hostages, the “elimination of Hamas” and the “promise that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel.” For Netanyahu, the call for total victory in Gaza is a reiteration of his previous statements at the onset of the war in October, as well as during a temporary cease-fire agreement in November, when the prime minister said the IDF would keep fighting in Gaza as soon as the cease-fire is lifted.
The 240 hostages were taken from Israel in an unprecedented attack by Hamas that led to some 1,200 deaths in southern Israel, according to Israeli officials. The attack prompted Israel to invade the Gaza Strip, which was controlled by Hamas, forcing the displacement of nearly 2 million residents as the death toll surpasses 27,000, according to estimates from the Hamas-led Gaza Health Ministry.
At least two of the Hamas-held hostages declared dead since the start of the war were U.S. citizens. One of them was 70-year-old Judith Weinstein Haggai, a dual citizen captured in the Oct. 7 attack who was declared dead in December after spending 82 days in captivity. The other was her husband, Gad Haggai, who was captured alongside his wife. Three other hostages were mistakenly killed by Israeli forces, the IDF said in December.
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