Israel confirms 2 more hostages killed in Gaza

ANKARA

The Israeli army on Monday confirmed the death of two hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

A military statement said Alex Dancyg, 75, and Yagev Buchshtav, 35, are believed to have died in the southern city of Khan Younis.

It, however, did not provide details about the circumstances of their death, citing an ongoing investigation.

Last March, Hamas said that Dancyg was killed by Israeli army fire, while Buchshtav lost his life due to lack of food and medicine amid an Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip.

According to the Israeli army, at least 44 Israeli hostages have died in Hamas’ captivity.

Hamas is believed to hold around 120 Israeli captives following its Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel.

Israelis have been staging protests to demand the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to reach a prisoner swap deal with Hamas.

The Palestinian resistance group demands an end to Israel’s deadly offensive on the Gaza Strip in return for any hostage swap with Tel Aviv.

Indirect talks between Israel and Hamas mediated by the US, Qatar and Egypt have failed to agree on a permanent cease-fire that allows a prisoner swap between Israelis and Palestinians.

So far, efforts by the three countries to mediate an agreement between Israel and Hamas have been hampered by Netanyahu's rejection of Hamas' call to halt hostilities.

Flouting a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire, Israel has faced international condemnation amid its continued brutal offensive on Gaza since an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas.

Over 39,000 Palestinians have since been killed, mostly women and children, and nearly 90,000 injured, according to local health authorities.

Over nine months into the Israeli onslaught, vast tracts of Gaza lie in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel is accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which ordered Tel Aviv to immediately halt its military operation in the southern city of Rafah, where more than 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge from the war before it was invaded on May 6.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar