On Saturday, the armed wing of Hamas, Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, announced the death of an Israeli woman previously taken hostage during an attack in October 2023. The woman was reportedly killed in a combat zone in northern Gaza, an area currently under Israeli military operation.
Spokesman Abu Obeida revealed that communication with the woman’s captors had resumed after several weeks of silence. It was then confirmed that the hostage died in northern Gaza. The circumstances and exact timing of her death were not disclosed. The Israeli army has initiated an investigation into the claims.
Additionally, Abu Obeida mentioned that a second female hostage remains in captivity, with her life also reported as being at risk.
Following last year’s Hamas attack that escalated into the Gaza war, militants took 251 hostages. According to the latest figures, 97 remain captive, including 34 whom the Israeli army has declared deceased.
Before this latest update, ten female hostages, among them five soldiers, were believed to be alive, per an AFP report. During a truce last November, 105 hostages were released in an exchange deal that saw 80 Israelis swapped for 240 Palestinian prisoners.
The Israeli government, facing significant public demand, is under pressure to negotiate the release of the remaining hostages.
The Hostage and Missing Families Forum declined to comment on the recent claims by Hamas, stating, “Nothing is known other than what Hamas is saying. Our only reliable source is the Israeli army.”
The attack by Hamas on October 7 last year resulted in 1,206 fatalities, mostly civilians, based on an AFP tally of official Israeli data. In response, Israel’s retaliatory actions have led to 44,176 deaths in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, a figure deemed reliable by the United Nations.
