The Israeli military has confirmed the deaths of four more individuals abducted by Hamas on October 7.
The military stated that the four men were killed while together during an Israeli operation in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, and that their bodies remain held by the militants.
The deceased were identified as British-Israeli Nadav Popplewell, 51, Chaim Peri, 79, Yoram Metzger, 80, and Amiram Cooper, 85.
IDF spokesman Rear Adm Daniel Hagari explained that intelligence gathered in recent weeks led to this conclusion.
“We assess that the four of them were killed while together in the area of Khan Younis during our operation there against Hamas,” Hagari said, without providing further details.
Last month, Hamas claimed that Nadav Popplewell had died in an Israeli strike in April. The UK Foreign Office investigated but did not confirm his death until now. All four hostages were abducted from kibbutzes near the Gaza Strip on October 7.
In a statement from the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, relatives urged leaders to engage in profound soul-searching in light of the men’s deaths.
The statement added: “Chaim, Yoram, Amiram, and Nadav were kidnapped alive, some of them were with other hostages who returned in the previous deal – and they should have returned alive to their country and their families.”
UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron expressed his sadness over Nadav Popplewell’s death in a post on X, offering his thoughts to Popplewell’s loved ones.
Nadav Popplewell was abducted from his home alongside his mother, who was eventually released. His brother Roy was killed in the attack.
Hamas killed approximately 1,200 people and took 251 others hostage during its attacks on southern Israel, according to Israeli authorities. The group released 105 civilians during a week-long truce in November.
Around 120 hostages remain unaccounted for, with Israeli officials presuming many are dead.
In response to the cross-border attack, Israel launched a military campaign to destroy Hamas. According to the Hamas-run health ministry, at least 36,470 people have been killed in Gaza in nearly eight months of fighting.