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Half of Israeli hostages in Gaza are already dead – report

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Israeli intelligence now suggests that half of the remaining captives in Gaza are already dead.

By World Israel News Staff

Approximately half of the remaining Israeli hostages held captive by terrorists in the Gaza Strip have already died, according to an estimate drafted by Israeli intelligence services.

On Sunday, Israel Hayom reported that during a closed-door session of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee in September, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed information collected by Israel’s intelligence community which indicated that just 51 of the 101 captives being held in the Gaza Strip are still alive.

Officially, Israel has gone on record confirming the deaths of 37 of the 101 remaining hostages, whose bodies remain held in captivity in the Gaza Strip.

However, 13 others are strongly suspected to have died at some point since October 7th, though their deaths have not been confirmed beyond a doubt.

Israeli intelligence agencies maintain an updated database of information on the hostages, including clues regarding their condition and location.

Jerusalem uses the information regarding the status of the captives not only in order to help shape negotiations with Hamas, but also to plan possible rescue operations and to delineate potential sites where airstrikes should be avoided.

Read  Hamas rejects proposal that would give them 'safe passage' in exchange for hostages

The Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee deliberations in September also revealed information regarding how those captives who have already died are believed to have met their fate.

Twenty-seven are believed to have been murdered by Hamas terrorists while being held captive, while at least seven others were killed inadvertently by Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip.

While the intelligence report delivered by Netanyahu to the Knesset committee in September suggested 51 hostages are likely alive, some security officials are pessimistic, believing that due to the harsh conditions the captives had endured for over a year since October 7th, more than 50 of the remaining captives are dead.

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