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More than a third of the hostages in the Gaza Strip are dead, the government reports

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Israel believes more than a third of the remaining hostages in Gaza are dead, according to an Israeli government count released on Tuesday, while the United States is trying to push for their recovery as part of a proposal to end the war with Hamas.

Of the approximately 250 people abducted into the Gaza Strip by Palestinian terrorists led by Hamas during the October 7 cross-border massacres 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 have been declared dead in absentia based on various sources of information, including intelligence tips, surveillance camera or passerby videos, and forensic analysis.

Some officials have privately said the death toll could be higher

Hamas threatened to execute hostages in retaliation for Israeli airstrikes at the beginning of the war. Since then, it has claimed that such attacks have led to 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.

Dolev Yehud was believed to be a hostage held by Hamas, but his body was found and identified in Kibbutz Nir Oz. (Source: Hostages and Missing Families Forum)

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 as Israel insists on resuming the campaign to destroy Hamas at some point, while the Palestinian terror group demands a guaranteed end to the war and the withdrawal of all invading forces.



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