The Israeli military on Monday confirmed the deaths of four more hostages held by Hamas — including three older men seen in a Hamas video begging for their release.
The three men — Amiram Cooper, Yoram Metzger and Haim Peri — were all age 80 or older. Looking weak and wary, they appeared in a video in December released by Hamas under the title, “Don’t let us grow old here.”
The fourth hostage was identified as Nadav Popplewell.
Israel’s military spokesperson, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said the four men died together in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis when Israel was operating there.
The cause of death was not immediately known.
Amiram Cooper, Haim Perry, Yoram Metzger and Nadav Popplewell.<br><br>These are the names of four hostages who were abducted on October 7 and killed a few months ago while they were held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. Their bodies are still held in captivity. <br><br>Our hearts go out to their… <a href=”https://t.co/YcElKnUDqN”>pic.twitter.com/YcElKnUDqN</a>
—@IDF
“We are checking all of the options,” Hagari said. “There are a lot of questions.”
Israel carried out a major offensive in Khan Younis, a Hamas stronghold, early this year. Hamas claimed in May that Popplewell had died after being wounded in an Israeli airstrike, but provided no evidence.
Cooper, Metzger and Peri were featured in a Hamas propaganda video in which Peri, clearly under duress, said in the video that all three men had chronic illnesses and accused Israel of abandoning them.
The deaths added to the growing list of hostages who Israel says have died in captivity. On Oct. 7, Hamas-led militants took some 250 hostages back to Gaza.
Roughly half were released during a brief ceasefire period in November.
Of some 130 remaining in the strip, about 85 are believed to still be alive.
According to Israel, around 1,200 people were killed during the Hamas-led attack. Israel’s subsequent assault on Gaza has killed more than 36,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials.
More to come.
