Gaza Genocideupdated 47m ago3 min read
MapForeign Office Investigates Hamas Claim British-Israeli Hostage Nadav Popplewell Died in Gaza
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Foreign Office is investigating Hamas’s claim of the hostage’s death in Gaza. Hamas says Nadav Popplewell died of wounds from an Israeli airstrike.
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Popplewell death claim
Hamas said its armed wing, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, announced on Saturday that British-Israeli hostage Nadav Popplewell died of wounds sustained in an Israeli airstrike more than a month ago. The Foreign Office investigated Hamas's claim, and a Foreign Office spokesperson said it was urgently seeking more information, while the spokesperson added that the department's thoughts were with his family at an extremely distressing time. Hamas said Popplewell, who was 51, had been wounded nearly a month ago and that his health condition deteriorated, and it said he died because he did not receive intensive medical care after Israel's destruction of hospitals in the Gaza Strip knocked them out of service.
Foreign Secretary David Cameron confirmed he had seen the video but gave no further updates on the investigations, and Lord Cameron said, "We don't want to say anything until we have better information." Hamas released a video showing Popplewell in captivity with a black eye, and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum statement asked media organisations not to publish footage of him.
Family pressure and protests
Families of captives held an emergency press conference after Popplewell's death, and they called on Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a deal with Hamas without delay.
The families said, "We don't have a moment to spare! You must strive to implement a deal that will bring them all back today," and they pressed for the return of captives.
Hundreds of protesters gathered in Tel Aviv and in the holy occupied city of al-Quds to press the regime to strike a deal, while Hamas recently agreed to another truce proposal enabling cessation of the Israeli aggression and release of the rest of the captives.
The Foreign Office spokesperson described the situation as extremely distressing for Popplewell's family, and the family asked media organisations not to publish footage of him released by Hamas on Saturday.
Foreign Secretary David Cameron described Hamas as "callous" for releasing the video and "play[ing] with the family's emotions in that way."
Hostage numbers and stakes
Israel's military campaign in Gaza to destroy Hamas began in response to the group's attack on southern Israel on 7 October, during which about 1,200 people were killed and 252 others were taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities.
More than 34,900 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry, and Israel says 128 hostages are unaccounted for.
Hamas released a video saying Popplewell died after being wounded in an Israeli strike in Gaza, and the Israeli military did not offer immediate comment on the latest video.
The Times of India also said of the 252 people abducted on Oct. 7, 128 remain in Gaza according to Israeli tallies, and it said at least 36 of them have been declared dead by an Israeli forensic committee.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said, "Every sign of life received from the hostages held by Hamas is another cry of distress to the Israeli government and its leaders," and it added, "We don't have a moment to spare! You must strive to implement a deal that will bring them all back today."