Four hostages including a British Israeli citizen have been murdered in Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip, according to the Israeli military.
Nadav Popplewell, 51, who was taken from Kibbutz Nirim, was confirmed dead by Israeli officials on Monday — along with Israelis Chaim Peri, 79, Yoram Metsger, 80, and Amiram Cooper, 84, who were taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz, the Times of Israel reports.
Hamas previously claimed that all four were killed in Israeli airstrikes. The circumestances of their deaths was not immediately clear.
Their bodies remain in the Gaza Strip.
“We estimate that the four were killed together, in the Khan Younis area, several months ago, while being held by Hamas terrorists and while IDF forces were operating in Khan Younis,” Israel Defense Forfes spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said.
“We are examining the circumstances of death in-depth, looking into all possibilities, and we will present the findings as soon as possible, firstly to the families and then to the public,” he added.
Popplewell was last seen alive in a Hamas propaganda video released in early May, with the short, 10-second clip showing Popplewell with a black eye.
Popplewell was described as a family man who loved playing card games with friends and reading science fiction, according to Bring Them Home Now, an Israeli organization set up by the hostages’ families.
Members of Kibbutz Nirim shared the news of Popplewell’s death, with the community expressing its condolences to his family.
“It is with deep sadness that we have now been informed of the death of our friend Nadav Popplewell in the captivity of Hamas in Gaza,” the kibbutz statement said. “We mourn and are hurt by the death of Nadav and share in the deep mourning of Channah, Ayelet, and the family and embrace them.”
Popplewell’s brother was killed in the Oct. 7 terrorist attack, and Peri was among the 24 hostages freed on Nov. 24 as part of a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
Like Popplewell, Chaim Peri, Yoram Metsger, and Amiram Cooper were all featured in a Hamas propaganda videos claiming the men were killed in an Israeli airstrike last December.
Peri – a film lecturer and activist – was seen pleading for the group’s release, which never came.
He was abducted from his home on the kibbutz while trying to shield his wife behind a couch, according to his family.
Metzger, who had diabetes and suffered from a broken hip, was kidnapped alongside his wife, 78-year-old Tamar Metzger, who was released in mid-November.
Cooper, an economist, was one of the founders of Kibbutz Nir Oz, and was also kidnapped with his wife, Nurit, who was released on Oct. 23.
With the death of the four men verified, the Israeli military has now confirmed the deaths of 41 of the 124 hostages who remain in Gaza.
Cease-fire talks between Israel and Hamas have remained in limbo following the first wave of hostage releases in November, with the US pushing a proposal last week that it said was amenble to the Israeli side.
The US-backed deal calls for a six-week truce and the release of all the hostages, including the bodies of the dead in exchange for freeing Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and an increase in humanitarian aid in Gaza.
President Biden acknowledged that it would be difficult to keep the proposal on track, but urged Israel and Hamas to reach an agreement.
US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said Monday that Hamas is the only party that was stalling the ceasefire talks.
“The world should know — the Palestinian people should know — that the only thing standing in the way of an immediate ceasefire today is Hamas,” Miller told reporters.
“The proposal on the table is nearly identical to what Hamas said it would accept just a few weeks ago, and it is now time for them to act,” he added.
But far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Minister of National Security Itamar Ben Gvir have threatened to break up the government if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepts the deal.
Netanyahu has reiterated that the war will not end until Hamas is destroyed and Gaza no longer poses a threat to the Jewish state.
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