Israeli military has concluded that three Israeli hostages, whose bodies were recovered from Gaza in December, were likely killed in an Israeli airstrike.
The hostages, Corporal Nick Beiser, Sergeant Ron Sherman, and civilian Eliya Toledano, were captured by Hamas on October 7.
The Israeli government faces intense pressure to secure the release of the hostages, with 101 still being held in Gaza, including 35 believed to be dead.
The investigation revealed that the three hostages were held in a tunnel complex where Hamas commander Ahmed Andor operated.
The airstrike, which targeted Andor on November 10, likely killed the hostages due to their proximity to the impact site.
Although the circumstances of their death cannot be determined with certainty, the evidence suggests a high probability.
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The Israeli military emphasized that they did not have information about the hostages’ presence in the compound at the time of the attack and had intelligence suggesting they were located elsewhere.
Throughout the war, the IDF has avoided attacking areas with indications of hostage presence.
The retrieval of the hostages’ bodies on December 14 and the subsequent discovery of six more hostages in a tunnel beneath Rafah have intensified efforts for a hostage release deal.
US officials are working to revive a three-phase proposal, initially outlined by President Joe Biden in May, which pairs hostage release with a ceasefire.
However, talks have stalled, with both sides highlighting concerns and disagreements.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists that Israel’s forces will not leave the Philadelphi Corridor, a stretch along the Egypt-Gaza border.
As the situation remains unresolved, the fate of the hostages and the future of the region hang in the balance.
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