The actions of the Israeli military had a "circumstantial influence" on a decision by Hamas militants to kill six hostages in Gaza in August, according to a military investigation published on Tuesday.
A person writes 'Murdered!' on a mock milk carton with the face of U.S. citizen Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who was kidnapped in the October 7 attack in Israel, amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, in New York City, U.S., October 7, 2024. euters/Andrew Kelly
The actions of the Israeli military had a "circumstantial influence" on a decision by Hamas militants to kill six hostages in Gaza in August, according to a military investigation published on Tuesday.
The recovery in September of the bodies of six Israeli hostages, including American-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin, triggered deep shock in Israel, prompting half a million people to stage street protests demanding the government enter a hostage deal with Hamas.
The six, seized by Palestinian militants during the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel, were shot dead 48-72 hours before being found by Israeli forces, according to health ministry estimates.
The hostages were killed by their captors, the investigation found, and that the Israeli military's activity "in the area, although gradual and cautious, had a circumstantial influence" on the militants' decision to carry out the killings.
The military had no prior intelligence about the presence of the six hostages in the area, the investigation found.
"The investigation published tonight proves once again that the return of all hostages will only be possible through a deal," the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a statement on Tuesday.
Talks between Israel and Hamas to secure the release of the 100 hostages still being held by Hamas in Gaza are ongoing.
An Israeli negotiation team plans to return to Israel from Qatar on Tuesday evening for "internal consultations" regarding a hostage deal after a significant week of talks about Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said.
Reporting by Emily Rose
The European Union's diplomatic service on Thursday presented 10 options for political action against Israel after it found "indications" last month that Israel breached human rights obligations under a pact governing its ties with the bloc.
The United States said on Wednesday it was imposing sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the United Nations' special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, who has been very critical of U.S. ally Israel's war in Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump focused on freeing hostages held in Gaza, as Israel continued to pound the Palestinian territory amid efforts to reach a ceasefire.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.