HOSTAGE TRAGEDY
British-Israeli hostage taken by Hamas on Oct 7 confirmed dead weeks after terrorists taunted family with vid
The Palestinian terror group had claimed he died of wounds last month
BRITISH-Israeli hostage Nadav Popplewell has been killed in Hamas captivity, the Israeli military has confirmed.
It comes just weeks after the terror group taunted his family with a horrifying ten-second clip of him.
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He was taken hostage alongside his mother Channah Peri, 79, from their home in Kibbutz Nirim during the horror October 7 bloodbath.
Channah and Nadav were said to have stayed together throughout captivity in a tunnel under Gaza.
Channah was later released on November 24 as part of a temporary ceasefire deal.
On Monday, the Israeli community confirmed Popplewell's death, after Hamas claimed he died in an airstrike last month.
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A statement from Kibbutz Nirim read: "Kibbutz Nirim announces with deep sorrow the death of abductee Nadav Popplewell in the captivity of Hamas in Gaza."
Popplewell's body still remains in Gaza, reports.
Three other Israeli hostages - Chaim Peri, 79, Yoram Metsger, 80, and Amiram Cooper, 84 - were also been confirmed dead by the Israeli military on Monday.
All four were filmed alive in hostage videos posted by Hamas.
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Military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that new intelligence led to confirmation of their deaths.
The military believes the four were killed together in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis a "number of months" ago when Israeli forces were operating in the city, Hagari said in remarks that were broadcast.
"We are thoroughly examining the circumstances of their deaths and checking all possibilities. We will present soon the findings, first to their families, and then to the public," he said.
"We will present them with transparency, as we have done until now."
Of the more than 250 people abducted on October 7, about 120 remain in Gaza, according to Israeli tallies.
Many have been declared dead by Israeli authorities.
Peri was at his house in Kibbutz Nir Oz during the Hamas attack. He tried to repel the gunmen while hiding his wife behind a sofa, his son later told Reuters.
He eventually gave himself up to save his wife, who remained hidden, his son said.
Cooper and Metzger, also from Nir Oz, were captured along with their wives, both of whom were returned to Israel during a brief November truce.
It comes after Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Joe Biden's demands for a ceasefire in Gaza a "nonstarter" amid his domestic turmoil.
Meanwhile, global tension and criticism surrounding the fighting in Gaza are at an all-time high.
Israel took control of the Rafah border crossing four weeks ago, marking a new escalation as they vowed to invade the refugee area to weed out Hamas.
Ben-Gvir warned in April: "If the prime minister decides to end the war without a large-scale offensive in Rafah to defeat Hamas, he will not have a mandate to continue serving as prime minister."
Israeli fighter jets strike terrorist targets in Gaza hours after Hamas' surprise attack on Tel Aviv
Although the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) claim to have eliminated terrorist targets during fighting in Rafah - Palestinian civilians sheltering have also been killed.
On May 26 an Israeli airstrike hit Tel al Sultan - an area where Gazans had been told it was safe to shelter and were living in tents.
Netanyahu's government faced swift and fierce criticism for the lethal blow, which sparked a huge blaze in the refugee camp.
Some were burned alive in their tents while hundreds more were wounded.
Horrific images of those injured picking through the rubble for the remains of their relatives, and later for food, swept across the world.
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted the next day it was "a tragic accident" as the EU warned it could impose economic sanctions.
Israeli forces later claimed that Hamas ammunition near to the refugee camp was actually responsible for the strike.
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