AgenPress – According to the IDF, Chaim Peri, 79, Amiram Cooper, 84, Yoram Metzger, 80, and Nadav Popplewell, 51, were all held together by Hamas in the Khan Younis area and died together several months ago.
The army is not providing details on the circumstances of their deaths, citing an ongoing investigation.
Peri, Cooper and Metzger were all kidnapped by Hamas from Nir Oz on October 7, while Popplewell was taken hostage by Nirim.
Cooper’s wife, Nurit, was released by Hamas on October 23, and Metzger’s wife, Tami, on November 28.
In December, Hamas released a propaganda video of Peri, Cooper and Metzger, and in March claimed that the three had been killed in Israeli strikes.
Popplewell was seen in a separate propaganda video in May, apparently weeks after his killing.
The IDF has now confirmed the deaths of 41 of the remaining 120 hostages still held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The terrorist group had kidnapped 251 people on October 7.
Hamas also holds the bodies of fallen Israeli soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin since 2014, as well as two Israeli civilians, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, both of whom are believed to be alive after entering the Strip on their own initiative in 2014 and 2015 respectively .
IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari says the army will thoroughly investigate the circumstances of the hostages’ deaths.
“We estimate that the four were killed together, in the Khan Younis area, several months ago, while being held by Hamas terrorists and while IDF forces were operating in Khan Younis.”
“I know that difficult questions will arise regarding the circumstances of the death… we are examining the circumstances of the death thoroughly, evaluating all possibilities, and will present the findings as soon as possible, first to the families and then to the public. We will present [i risultati] in a transparent way, as we have done so far.”
