IDF Says Six Israeli Hostages Executed by Hamas During February 14 Airstrike

Dec 4, 2024, 03:31 PM

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that six Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza were likely executed by their captors during an Israeli airstrike on February 14. The hostages—Alex Dancyg, 75; Yagev Buchshtav, 35; Chaim Peri, 79; Yoram Metzger, 80; Nadav Popplewell, 51; and Avraham Munder, 78—were kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 and found dead in a tunnel in Khan Yunis on August 20. The IDF stated that they were unaware of the hostages' presence at the time of the strike and would not have conducted the operation had they known. The investigation revealed that the hostages' bodies showed signs of gunshot wounds, while the bodies of six Hamas militants found with them did not. The distance between IDF forces and the hostages was only 120 meters. Families of the hostages criticized the military, suggesting that military pressure leads to the killing of hostages. The IDF apologized to the families for the incident.