The Israeli military has confirmed the deaths of four Israeli hostages held by Hamas, based on new intelligence. Chaim Peri, 79, Amiram Cooper, 84, Yoram Metzger, 80, and Nadav Popplewell, 51, were believed by the IDF to have been held together by Hamas in the Khan Younis area and died several months ago. The circumstances of their deaths are not being disclosed due to an ongoing investigation.

Peri, Cooper, and Metzger were abducted from Nir Oz on October 7, while Popplewell was taken hostage from Nirim. In December, Hamas released a propaganda video of Peri, Cooper, and Metzger and claimed in March that they were killed by Israeli strikes. Popplewell appeared in a separate propaganda video in May, apparently published weeks after his death.

The IDF has now confirmed the deaths of 41 of the remaining 120 hostages still held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Hamas had abducted 251 people on October 7. Additionally, Hamas has been holding the bodies of fallen IDF soldiers Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin since 2014, as well as two Israeli civilians, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, who entered the Strip voluntarily in 2014 and 2015, respectively, and are believed to be alive.