All six bodies of the Israeli male hostages who were recovered from Gaza earlier this week had gunshot wounds, the IDF announced on Thursday. Initial autopsy findings indicated that the hostages were likely shot while in Hamas captivity.
Four additional bodies that were found near the hostages in the same tunnel in Khan Younis are believed to be their captors. Their bodies showed no gunshot wounds.
The investigation suggested that the terrorists were killed from suffocation when IDF troops were active in the area six months ago when a fire broke out inside the tunnel. The terrorists might have thought Israeli forces were on their way to rescue the hostages and decided to shoot them, the IDF stated.
On Thursday, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said the discovery was “further proof of the cruelty of the terrorists who have been holding 109 hostages for 321 days.”
There are currently 105 hostages held in captivity in Gaza for over 322 days. 34 of them are confirmed dead. In addition, there are four other Israelis – two IDF soldiers who were killed and abducted in 2014, and another two civilians – being held in captivity.
Negotiations to secure a hostage release deal in exchange for a ceasefire in Gaza seem to be stalled after talks in Doha, Qatar ended without a breakthrough.
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