Their tragic fate has raised fears that more Israeli hostages will not be retrieved alive either, said one protester.
Continuing war as negotiations for a ceasefire-hostage deal falter “will only bring more coffins to them and to us,” the 48-year-old added.
On Thursday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that initial forensic tests suggest that all six hostages had been shot, but it has not determined whether the gunshot wounds were the cause of death.
Asked in a news conference on Tuesday whether the IDF had killed the hostages, spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari did not clarify whether the hostages had been killed as a result of Israeli military action.
There is skepticism within Israel about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s willingness to strike a deal in Gaza given fierce opposition from far-right ministers in his coalition.
Munder was taken along with his wife, daughter and grandson, who were later freed during a temporary truce between Israel and Hamas in November.
All the hostages could have returned alive even on the first day.
There are currently 109 Israeli hostages that remain in Gaza, including 36 believed to be dead, according to data from the Israeli Government Press Office.
A deal to release Israeli hostages in Gaza was demanded, and demonstrators expressed their grief over the news this week that six captives’ bodies had been recovered. The ensuing demonstration in Tel Aviv on Thursday was bittersweet.
One protester expressed concern that more Israeli hostages may not be freed due to their tragic outcome. Daniel stated to CNN, “We have to bring back those that we know were alive.”. “It will only bring more coffins to them and to us,” the 48-year-old continued, if talks for a ceasefire and hostage agreement break down.
How the six passed away has not yet received an official explanation.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Thursday that preliminary forensic examinations indicate that all six hostages had been shot; however, the IDF has not ascertained if the gunshot wounds were the reason for the hostages’ deaths. The preliminary nature of the findings was also highlighted by IDF.
Four more bodies were discovered next to the six hostages’ bodies, according to the IDF. These bodies were thought to be those of the Hamas militants who had been holding the hostages, but there was no sign of gunfire on them.
The IDF did not identify the alleged gunman.
Outside Israel’s Ministry of Defense, however, Daniel said that the IDF’s declaration that all six hostages had been shot highlighted the possible risk associated with force-based rescue efforts.
According to a preliminary assessment by the IDF, the hostages may have died from asphyxia after the IDF struck a nearby Hamas target, flooding the tunnel where they were being held with carbon dioxide, as reported by the Israeli news outlet Ynet on Tuesday.
When questioned about whether the IDF had killed the hostages on Tuesday at a press conference, spokesperson Rear Adm. Whether the hostages’ deaths were due to Israeli military action was not made clear by Daniel Hagari. As an alternative, Hagari cited remarks he had made back in June, stating that “the hostages were killed while our forces were operating in Khan Younis.”. “.
Haste and confusion.
The need for a ceasefire among the demonstrators in Tel Aviv on Thursday has increased in light of the deaths.
Along with his two daughters, Omer, 46, expressed his belief that the six hostages “could have been saved a lot earlier” while attending the demonstration. He warned that Israel would only end up paying more for an agreement that could have been reached sooner, accusing the Israeli government of continuously delaying signing a deal with Hamas.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians residing in the besieged enclave would also benefit from a ceasefire as Israel continues its military campaign. An estimated 11.9 million people, or nearly all of Gaza’s population, have been displaced in the strip, according to UN estimates from July.
The Strip’s “humanitarian zone,” as defined by the IDF, has been gradually getting smaller despite repeated Israeli orders to evacuate. As per a CNN analysis, the IDF has reportedly reduced this zone by 38 percent in the last month alone. The remaining space constitutes slightly more than tenth of Gaza’s total area.
According to Dr. Mohammad Saqer of Nasser Hospital, at least 22 Palestinians were slain in southern Gaza on Thursday, including four women and a child. One family member said that at least five of their members were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a home in Bani Suhaila, east of Khan Younis. The family member’s body was taken to the hospital.
According to the victims’ relative Hamza Abu Shab, the family had attempted to comply with the IDF’s directives. However, before they could enter an evacuation zone, an airstrike occurred, killing his father and several other family members.
Given the strong opposition from far-right ministers in his coalition, there is skepticism in Israel regarding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s willingness to reach a settlement in Gaza. The political future of the Israeli prime minister is primarily dependent on the far-right coalition members he leads; several of them have already threatened to quit the government and bring it to an end if he approves the agreement.
Protester Omer claimed that although “Hamas may have kidnapped them,” Benjamin Netanyahu is “the only one responsible” and that he should be held accountable for their murder. “.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a group that advocates for the families of Israeli hostages, stated in a statement on Thursday that the results of forensic tests revealing gunshot wounds were “further proof of the cruelty of the terrorists” who held the hostages captive.
Reiterating its criticism of Israeli authorities, the Forum declared that the recovery of bodies “is no achievement.”. “.
Six hostages who were expected to return alive have returned in coffins, the Forum said, “which is a testimony of the complete failure to reach a deal in time.”.
Israeli authorities on Tuesday identified the bodies as being those of Yoram Metzger, Alexander Dancyg, Avraham Munder, Chaim Peri, Nadav Popplewell, and Yagev Buchshtab. The Israeli military had declared all but Munder dead in the previous few months.
In a “complex operation,” the Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that the IDF and ISA had entered the Hamas tunnels in order to retrieve the bodies.
Then, in November, Israel and Hamas agreed to a short-term cease-fire, which allowed Munder, his wife, daughter, and grandson to remain in captivity. Roee, Munder’s son, perished in the assault.
Ohad Munder, nine, said on Tuesday that his grandfather’s and the other hostages’ deaths “shouldn’t have happened” in an interview with Israel’s public broadcaster Kan 11. “.
Negotiations for deals have already taken place numerous times, but they always end up saying no because they ultimately decide they don’t want the deal and always regret it at the last minute. Even on the first day, all of the hostages might have survived and returned home. Grandfather and all the other captives could have been freed,” Ohad remarked.
Information from the Israeli Government Press Office indicates that there are currently 109 Israeli hostages in Gaza, 36 of whom are thought to be dead.
Reporting was also contributed by Tamar Michaelis, Eyad Kourdi, and Kareem Khadder of CNN.
