Hamas said on Saturday that another one of the hostages abducted during its October 7 attack on Israel has died.
Hamas released a video saying that Nadav Popplewell, who was taken hostage from the southern Israeli community of Kibbutz Nirim, died after being wounded in an Israeli strike in Gaza.
“He died because he didn’t receive intensive medical care at medical facilities because of the enemy’s destruction of hospitals in Gaza,” the Hamas armed wing spokesman, Abu Ubaida, said in a statement.
The Israeli military did not offer immediate comment on the latest video.
Israel has given new evacuation orders to multiple parts of Rafah in southern Gaza as the military continues an offensive into the city.
The areas of evacuation include the blocks of Al-Jnaina, Khirbet al-Adas and the al-Adari neighbourhoods and Shaboura camp. Residents have been told to go to al-Mawasi, a designated Israeli humanitarian zone.
Israel’s continued push into Rafah comes following warnings from the US, with President Joe Biden previously warning Israel that the US would withhold arms transfers if Israel invaded Rafah.
UN General Secretary Antonio Guterres warned that such an invasion would risk an “epic humanitarian disaster”, with over 100,000 people already leaving due to the previous evacuation orders.
Israel’s war on Gaza has killed 39,971 Palestinians with a further 78,641 injured. Much of the enclave has been left in ruins.
