Israel says it is investigating after Hamas released photos it said showed the body of a woman captured in Gaza.
Speaking at his weekly council meeting on Sunday, the Prime Minister, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu, said that at this time Israel cannot show these images.
“We are in touch with this family, and proper notification has been given to all families. Our hearts are with them,” said Netanyahu. He said the Israeli government is committed to returning all captives, including the dead.
The Prime Minister also said that he spoke to the mother of the prisoner who is said to be shown in the photos.
“It’s hard to describe the horror he is enduring. We hug him and his family,” he said.
The militant group Hamas said on Saturday that a woman was captured and killed in the northern Gaza Strip “which was under Israeli occupation.”
It did not identify him by name but released two photos of the hostage’s body. Israel did not say anything about the circumstances of this death.
More than 250 people were captured and about 1,200 were killed during the attack led by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
A few of the captives were then rescued and in November 2023 over 100 were released as part of a temporary hostage-taking-and-ceasefire.
Another 101 prisoners are still being held in Gaza, 97 of whom were captured on October 7, Israeli authorities believe. About 32 of the hostages taken on October 7 are believed to be dead.
Israel has in the past accused Hamas of releasing images and information about hostages as a form of “psychological terrorism” aimed at forcing Netanyahu’s government to accept a ceasefire.
Weekly protests calling for the government to secure the release of hostages have taken place across Israel, including near Netanyahu’s residence, often involving family members of the hostages.
Last week, the pressure on Netanyahu increased with the decision of the International Criminal Court to issue a warrant for his arrest.
Meanwhile, negotiations for an agreement to end slavery in Gaza have stalled.
Apart from a brief engagement last month, there have been no real talks since the Israeli hostages killed by Hamas and found in the Gaza Strip at the end of August.
Qatar announced this month that it was ending its role as a mediator in the talks between Israel and Hamas after concluding that the two sides could no longer negotiate in good faith.
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