At Least 30 Israeli Hostages Taken on Oct. 7 Are Dead

At least 30 of the remaining 136 Israeli hostages taken by Hamas on October 7 are dead, The New York Times reported Tuesday, citing Israeli intelligence. It is not yet clear if these hostages were killed by Hamas or Israel’s brutal military operation in Gaza, which has resulted in the rescue of only one hostage. Israeli intelligence determined that 32 hostages had been killed, a number higher than the military had previously reported. Of the 240 hostages who were taken during Hamas’s deadly incursion into Israeli territory, 105 were freed during the temporary ceasefire in November. Three hostages were killed by IDF soldiers while carrying white flags, and another was killed during a rescue operation. The news that at least one-fifth of the captives remaining in Gaza are dead is expected to ramp up tensions between the Israeli government, which continues to fight a war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, and Israeli citizens who wish to be reunited with their missing family members and loved ones.