A female captive has been killed in an Israeli airstrike in northern Gaza, according to Aljazeera. The strike came as Israel continued its military operation and ordered Palestinians in Gaza to evacuate on Sunday.
Abu Obeida, spokesperson for Hamas’s Qassam Brigades, said that contact with the woman’s captors had been re-established after several weeks, confirming that she had been killed in the northern Gaza area where Israeli forces have been active. The statement did not provide further details about her identity or the circumstances of her death.
Abu Obeida also warned that another female captive’s life is at risk, holding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and military leaders fully responsible for the safety of the hostages.
Israel’s military said it could neither confirm nor deny the claim, adding that it was investigating after Hamas released footage allegedly showing a killed hostage.
The ongoing conflict began after the Hamas group took around 250 captives during an attack on southern Israel on October 7 last year. Of those captives, 97 are believed to still be held in Gaza, and at least 34 have been reported killed by Israeli forces.
Hamas has claimed that several captives have died in Israeli airstrikes and failed rescue attempts. Israeli forces also mistakenly killed three Israeli hostages who escaped captivity in December.
Public pressure is mounting on the Israeli government to secure a new deal for the release of the remaining hostages.