Four more hostages have died in Hamas custody; Israel says more than a third are dead

The deaths of four Israelis taken hostage by Hamas on October 7 and a medic who was killed after “leaving his home to save lives” have been confirmed, the Israel Defense Forces said on Monday.

The families of the hostages Nadav Popplewell, Yoram Metzger, Amiram Cooper and Haim Perry were informed that they were “no longer alive” and that their remains were in the hands of Hamas, the IDF said.

“Our deepest condolences go out to their families,” said IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari. “We are sorry. We were unable to rescue them in time.”

Hagari also announced the death of 35-year-old paramedic Dolev Yehud, who was killed on October 7.

“He left his home to save lives,” Hagari said, adding that Yehud leaves behind his pregnant wife and their three children. “He was murdered by Hamas.”

The deaths were announced as a ceasefire proposal backed by President Joe Biden was challenged by right-wing ministers in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government who oppose any agreement with Hamas.

Netanyahu is also under pressure from the other side, namely from the families of the remaining hostages, who are pushing for an agreement that will ensure the return of their relatives.

Some 120 Israeli hostages remain in captivity, an official Israeli government count showed on Tuesday, nearly eight months after they were kidnapped in a deadly Hamas surprise attack that sparked Israel’s assault on Gaza. Of those hostages, 43 were declared dead in captivity, the government count showed.

The Israeli military said its decision to “declare the four hostages dead was based on intelligence information.”

“We believe that all four were killed together several months ago in the Khan Yunis area while being held by Hamas terrorists,” Hagari said of Popplewell, Metzger, Cooper and Perry.

Hagari did not disclose how they died, but in March, Abu Ubaida, spokesman for the Qassam Brigades, said Perry, Metzger and Cooper were among seven hostages killed in an Israeli airstrike on Gaza.

Last month, Popplewell appeared in a propaganda video released by Hamas, Israeli media reported.

Popplewell, 51, a dual Israeli-British citizen, was abducted from their home in Kibbutz Nirim along with his mother. His brother Roi Popplewell was killed in the attack, Israeli media reported.

“Kibbutz Nirim announces with deep sadness the death of abductee Nadav Popplewell in Hamas captivity in Gaza,” the municipality said in a statement released on Monday.

Popplewell’s elderly mother, Hanna Perry, was among a group of more than a dozen Israeli hostages released on November 24 as part of a temporary ceasefire.

The 80-year-old butcher, who lived in Kibbutz Nir Oz, was last seen alive in December in a video released by Hamas.

His son Guy told NBC News at the time that he was “really worried” about his father and that his father seemed “very, very tired.”

“He looks very sick, as do his friends,” said the younger butcher. “We are really worried about their condition.”

Perry, who was also 80 and lived on the same kibbutz as Metzger, said Hagari.

“Haim was a peace activist,” Hagari said. “He believed in coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians and fought for it. Haim was a volunteer who brought sick children from Gaza to Israel for medical treatment.”

Cooper, 85, was one of the founders of Kibbutz Nir Oz, Hagari said.

It was initially believed that Yehud had also been kidnapped by Hamas. But after there was no evidence that he was being held in Gaza, Israelis re-examined the remains of the dead in Kibbutz Nir Oz and identified Yehud’s body, the Israeli army reported.

His remains were identified by the National Institute of Forensic Medicine and the Shura military base, the Israeli army said.