Pressure for truce deal rises as Israel reports four Gaza captives killed
Al Jazeera
The US says the onus is on Hamas to accept the deal, and is pursuing a UNSC resolution to back it.
Israel has confirmed that four of the captives held in Gaza were likely killed during air raids on the enclave.
The Israeli military said late on Monday that the quartet is believed to have died in southern Gaza several months ago. The news is likely to increase pressure on Israel’s government to agree to a ceasefire deal with Hamas.
The military did not provide details citing an ongoing investigation, but spokesman Daniel Hagari said Chaim Peri (79), Amiram Cooper (84), Yoram Metzger (80), and Nadav Popplewell (51), who were being held together by Hamas, were killed while its “forces were operating in Khan Younis”.
In December, Hamas had released a video of Peri, Cooper and Metzger pleading for their release. The Palestinian group reported in March that the three were killed by Israeli air raids.
Popplewell was seen in May in a video that appears to have been released after he died.
