Israel is investigating a claim made by Hamas on Saturday that an Israeli female hostage was killed during military operations in northern Gaza.
Abu Obaida, a spokesperson for the terrorist group, wrote on Telegram that “After re-establishing contact, which had been cut off for weeks, with fighters tasked with protecting enemy captives, it was revealed that one of the enemy’s female captives was killed in an area subjected to Zionist aggression in northern Gaza.”
On Hamas-affiliated channels, a photo surfaced said to be of the slain hostage. It shows what appears to be a human body, the head blurred, wrapped in a white fabric displaying blood stains. It is captioned: “A new victim of [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and [IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi] Halevi.”
Another female hostage held alongside the woman was injured and remains in critical condition, Abu Obaida said.
In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces Spokesperson’s Unit said it could neither confirm nor deny the claim but is in contact with the family of the hostage in question, whose identity was not publicly made known by Hamas. “This evening, the terrorist organization Hamas released a document allegedly showing a slain female hostage,” the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said, adding that the situation is under review.
“Hamas continues to engage in cruel psychological terrorism. Please refrain from spreading rumors and publications that harm the families of the hostages,” the Spokesperson’s Unit said.
