(BrightPress.org) – The Israeli government published a report on Tuesday, June 4th declaring that only 80 of the hostages that have been held captive by Hamas for eight months are still alive. Hamas took 250 Palestinians and foreign nationals hostage when the terrorist group attacked Israel on October 7th. More than 1,200 people were killed during the attack.
One hundred hostages were brought home during a week-long ceasefire and prisoner exchange in November. In recent weeks the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have recovered the remains of sixteen hostages, some of them killed during the initial attack in October. Four more were declared dead by the Israeli government on Monday night: Nadav Popplewell, Amiram Cooper, Yoram Metzger, and Haim Peri. Three of these were men in their 80s and appeared in a Hamas video begging for their release. It is suspected that Hamas also still holds the remains of 43 hostages.
Hamas claims some of the hostages died during Israeli military strikes. Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, a spokesperson for the Israeli military said the four hostages were killed months ago but the intel was not available until more recent operations. The Gaza Health Ministry said that Israeli strikes in Gaza have killed more than 36,000 people.
Thousands of Israelis are protesting and demanding immediate action to retrieve the remaining hostages and remains of the deceased. United States President Joe Biden announced a ceasefire proposal on Friday claiming the terrorist organization “sufficiently depleted,” ramping up protests in Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu disagreed and said further military action in Gaza is required.
The Israeli military continues to expand its operation in Rafah. Rafah was a central hub for humanitarian aid before the military invasion which cut off the flow of food, medicine, and other aid supplies to areas facing extreme famine.
Protesters blocked a highway in Tel Aviv on Monday night demanding the government take action to rescue the remaining living hostages. Hostages Forum, a group representing families of the hostages said it is time to “end this cycle of sacrifice and neglect.”
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