Israel: More than a third of the hostages in the Gaza Strip are dead

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel believes more than a third of the remaining hostages in the Gaza Strip are dead, a government count showed on Tuesday, as the United States sought to push for their recovery as part of a proposal to end the war with Hamas.

Of the roughly 250 people abducted into the Gaza Strip by Palestinian militants led by Hamas during the October 7 cross-border rampage that sparked the war, dozens were released under a ceasefire in November, while others were recovered – dead or alive – by Israeli troops.

According to the government, 120 people are still in captivity, 43 of whom were declared dead in absentia by Israeli officials based on various sources of information, including intelligence tips, video footage from surveillance cameras or bystanders, and forensic analysis.

Some government officials have unofficially said the death toll could be even higher.

Hamas threatened to execute hostages in retaliation for Israeli airstrikes at the beginning of the war. It has since said that such attacks have resulted in the deaths of hostages. Israel does not rule this out in all cases, but says that some of the hostages recovered showed signs of execution.

On Monday, the list of Israeli casualties was expanded to include four more hostages.

US President Joe Biden on Friday announced an Israeli proposal to end the war that includes the release of some hostages during a temporary ceasefire.

But mediation efforts to conclude that agreement have stalled, with Israel insisting on eventually resuming the campaign to destroy Hamas, while the Palestinian Islamist group demands a guaranteed end to the war and the withdrawal of all invading forces.

(Written by Dan Williams. Edited by Gerry Doyle)