The IDF has confirmed the deaths of four Israeli hostages who were being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The hostages, identified as Chaim Peri, 79, Amiram Cooper, 84, Yoram Metzger, 80, and Nadav Popplewell, 51, were believed to have been held together in the Khan Younis area and killed several months ago.
The military has not released details on the circumstances of their deaths, citing an ongoing investigation. The four hostages were among the 251 people abducted by Hamas on October 7, and their deaths bring the total number of confirmed deaths among the hostages to 41.
Peri, Cooper, and Metzger were abducted from Nir Oz on October 7, while Popplewell was taken hostage from Nirim. In December, Hamas released a propaganda video showing Peri, Cooper, and Metzger, and in March claimed that the three had been killed by Israeli strikes. Popplewell was seen in a separate propaganda video in May, apparently weeks after his death.
Hamas is still holding 120 hostages, including two Israeli civilians, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, who are believed to be alive after entering the Gaza Strip on their own accord in 2014 and 2015, respectively. The terror group is also holding the bodies of fallen IDF soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, who were killed in 2014.
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4 Responses
I think this whole hostage deal is ridiculous because there’s no knowledge of whether or not there are any hostages left…. they murdered most of them and never disclosed the information and I’m sure they’ve done so even after oct. 7th. So hamas has everything to gain cause Israel will stop fighting on the premises that there are hostages to take back, but in reality, there’s probably nothing left.
hy”d.
israel must fight like the hostages are all alive, and negotiate as if they are all dead, h”vsh. it must be the responsibility of hamas (and the red cross) to prove that they are still alive, otherwise, there can be no deal. these “negotiations” are a moral abomination, but in order to succeed, israel must haggle over human lives like tomatoes in the shuq. keeping in mind that the other side has a lifetime of experience haggling, and no moral scruples whatsoever.
Fire up the bulldozers and level Gaza. Move the people into Sinai. After all, they’re generation refugees, so they should have no problem moving west.
This gruesome discovery is heartbreaking but sadly, not unexpected, considering the barbarians who took them hostage. But at least, this discovery means about 120 fewer murderous rogues will be released in exchange for bodies, which is what Biden seemed to be handing Hamas on a silver platter.