The Israeli military is investigating whether a February strike in Khan Younis led to the execution of six hostages. The bodies of the hostages, including Yoram Metzger, Alexander Dancyg, Avraham Munder, Chaim Peri, Nadav Popplewell, and Yagev Buchshtab, were recovered in late August.
The IDF stated that it was “highly probable” that the hostages’ deaths were related to the strike. The investigation found that the strike may have led militants to shoot the six hostages after they survived the initial effects of the attack.
The military also confirmed that two other hostages, Itay Svirsky and Yossi Sharabi, were killed in captivity by Hamas terrorists in January 2024. Another hostage, Noa Argamani, was shown on a video released by Hamas, claiming both men had been killed by Israeli bombing.
The incident highlights the risks faced by Israeli citizens held captive by Hamas. The IDF has taken operational lessons from the incident to minimize risks to hostages in the future.
A total of 96 hostages were taken on October 7, and 94 are still being held.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/04/middleeast/israel-hostages-airstrike-hamas-intl-latam/index.html