The Israeli military confirmed Wednesday that Israeli hostage Sahar Baruch, kidnapped during the Hamas attack on October 7, died in December during a rescue operation in Gaza.
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“We inform the Baruch family that their son Sahar, hostage in Gaza, died during a special forces rescue operation on the night of December 8,” the army said in a statement.
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“At this time, we cannot determine the circumstances of his death or whether he was shot dead by our forces or killed by Hamas,” the army added.
On December 9, Hamas had announced the death of that hostage during an attempt by the army to save him and released a video in which his body appeared..
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An association of hostages' relatives and the Beeri kibbutz, where the 25-year-old lived, confirmed the death.
Israeli soldiers operating in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli Army/AFP
In that kibbutz, at least 85 people were killed on October 7 during the assault by Hamas militiamen.
The attack by Islamist commandos in southern Israel left nearly 1,140 dead, mostly civiliansaccording to an AFP count based on official Israeli figures.
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The fighters also took about 250 hostages, of whom 129 remain in Gaza, according to Israeli authorities.
After the attack, Israel vowed to “annihilate” Hamas and launched a wave of bombings and a ground offensive that has left at least 22,313 dead, mostly women and minors, according to the Ministry of Health of the Palestinian territory, governed by the Islamist group since 2007.
AFP
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