The Israeli military said another four Israeli hostages abducted by Hamas on 7 October had died in captivity and that their bodies are being held by the Palestinian Islamist group.
The four men were identified as Chaim Peri, 80, Yoram Metzger, 80, Amiram Cooper, 84, and 51-year-old Nadav Popplewell.
All four were filmed alive in hostage videos posted by Hamas. Hamas said Popplewell had died of wounds suffered during an Israeli air strike when posting his video last month.
Israeli 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.
“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 200 people abducted on 7 October, 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.
Popplewell, according to a hostages support group, was captured with his mother from her home in Kibbutz Nirim. His brother was killed during the attack. His mother was freed during the November truce.
Israel has bombarded Gaza since Hamas’ 7 October attack in which more than 1,200 people were killed, according to the Israeli government. More than 36,470 people have been killed in Gaza since 7 October, according to the health ministry in Gaza.
The 7 October attack was a significant escalation in the long-standing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Meanwhile, Palestinian authorities filed an application with the, the court said on Monday.
In a statement, the ICJ, also known as the World Court, said the Palestinian authorities “filed … an application for permission to intervene and a declaration of intervention in the (South Africa v Israel) case”.
On 31 May, the Palestinian authorities officially recognised the authority of the ICJ to resolve all disputes that may arise or have already arisen under Article IX, which paved the way for them to request to join South Africa’s case against Israel as a party.
If granted by the court, the request could allow the Palestinian authorities to also add an ad hoc judge of their choosing to the ICJ panel which currently has 16 judges, 15 of the court’s regular judges and one Israeli ad hoc judge.
South Africa and Israel have been invited to give written observations on the Palestinian application for permission to intervene as a party.
