Israel Confirms Death of Four More Hostages Captured by Hamas in Gaza

The Israeli army reported the death of four more hostages who were kidnapped by Hamas forces on October 7. Israel states that the bodies of these four individuals are still in Gaza and under Hamas's control, a group recognized as a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union. According to the Associated Press, the deceased hostages include three men named Amirham Cooper, Yoram Metzger, and Chaim Gershon Perry, all of whom were 80 years old or older. Hamas had announced the death of these three hostages last March. On Monday, June 3, the Israeli army stated that in a video released by Hamas two months after the abduction, the three appeared weak and said, 'Don't let our lives end here.' The fourth hostage was named Nadav Papoulou. Daniel Hagari, a spokesperson for the Israeli army, said that these four men were killed together in Khan Younis in southern Gaza while Israel was conducting operations in the area, and the cause of death was not immediately clear. He added, 'There are many questions about this, and we are examining all available options.' The Israeli army claims to have removed the bodies of three hostages from Gaza. Earlier this year, Israel conducted a major military operation in Khan Younis, one of Hamas's main strongholds. Hamas previously claimed without providing any evidence that the fourth hostage, Nadav Papoulou, was killed after being injured during an Israeli airstrike. Amirham Cooper, Yoram Metzger, and Chaim Gershon Perry also appeared in a Hamas propaganda video, where Mr. Perry appeared to be under pressure. Hamas claimed in this video that all three had chronic illnesses and accused Israel of abandoning them. The deaths of these four hostages now add to the growing list of hostages that Israel claims have died while in captivity at the hands of Hamas. During the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, the group killed 1,200 people and took approximately 240 individuals from Israel as hostages into Gaza. Nearly half of these hostages were released during a brief ceasefire in November, and it is estimated that of the approximately 130 remaining hostages in Gaza, about 85 are still alive. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, over 36,000 Palestinian military and civilian casualties have been reported in Gaza due to Israeli bombings and ground operations following the Hamas attack on October 7. Israel is expanding its attacks on the southern city of Rafah, which was once the main route for humanitarian aid to Gaza. However, Israeli attacks have largely disrupted the flow of food, medicine, and other supplies for Palestinians facing widespread hunger. Last week, U.S. President Joe Biden announced a three-phase plan proposed by Israel to Hamas militants. This plan, which includes a six-week ceasefire and the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, could, according to Biden, end the exhausting and nearly eight-month-long war in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the war in Gaza will continue until the 'elimination' of Hamas's governance capabilities. On another front, Israel's internal security agency, Shin Bet, reported on Monday that it had thwarted a Hamas 'bombing' plot against Israel from within Turkish territory. According to the Times of Israel, Hamas members were responsible for designing this plot in Turkey. Shin Bet also announced that a 12-kilogram bomb along with instructions for carrying out the attack was found near a spring in the West Bank. In mid-March, Shin Bet and Yamam forces arrested a Palestinian resident of Jordan named Anas Shorman on suspicion of involvement in a plan to carry out a terrorist attack in Israel. Following investigations by this Israeli security agency, it was revealed that he had joined Hamas under the direction of a Hamas official in Turkey named Imad Obaid, originally from the West Bank, and was leading this attack. On May 15, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed that if Israel could defeat Hamas in Gaza, it would then 'set its sights on Turkey.' He referred to support for Hamas in defending its territory, stating, 'More than a thousand Hamas members were treated in Turkish hospitals during the Gaza war.' Erdogan's support for Hamas comes amid reports from the London Times in May claiming that Hamas intends to establish a 'secret base' in Turkey to coordinate attacks on Israel with other Palestinian militant groups. Meanwhile, on the first of May, coinciding with Ismail Haniyeh's visit to Turkey to meet with senior Ankara officials, the Wall Street Journal reported that the group's leaders were seeking a replacement for Qatar as their host.