Israeli military officials announced on Monday that they have confirmed the deaths of four individuals who were taken hostage by the Hamas terrorist organization during the October 7 massacre.
The victims were identified as Amiram Cooper, 84; Yoram Metzger, 80; Haim Peri, 80; and 51-year-old Nadav Popplewell.
Cooper, Metzger, and Peri were kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz, while Popplewell, a dual Israeli-U.K. citizen, was abducted from Kibbutz Nirim.
“The four of them were killed while together in the area of Khan Younis, during our operation there against Hamas,” IDF spokesperson Adm. Daniel Hagari said in a press briefing, while adding that their bodies had not been recovered.
Cooper and Metzger’s wives, along with Popplewell’s mother, were also taken captive with their relatives but were later released in an exchange in late October.
All four of the men were shown in Hamas propaganda videos while they were alive.
Haim Peri was reported to have volunteered to drive sick Palestinians from Gaza to hospitals in Israel before his death.
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