IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari announced at an evening briefing that four residents of Kibbutz Nir Oz, who were abducted by Hamas on October 7, have been confirmed deceased.
The IDF stated that Amiram Cooper, Yoram Metzger, Chaim Peri, and Nadav Popplewell were killed several months ago in the Khan Yunis area during an IDF operation.
"The decision to declare them dead was made based on intelligence received by a team of specialists from the Ministry of Health, together with the Ministry of Religion and the Chief Rabbi of Israel," said an IDF spokesperson.
Daniel Hagari emphasized that the IDF continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the hostages.
Minutes before the official announcement of the hostages' deaths, the leadership of Kibbutz Nir Oz began informing kibbutz members of the victims' names.
On June 3, it was also revealed that Dolev Yehud, a Kibbutz Nir Oz resident considered abducted, died on October 7. This was confirmed after an extensive investigation by the Eitan unit in collaboration with anthropologists and DNA identification.
On the evening of December 18, Hamas released a video featuring 79-year-old Haim Peri, 80-year-old Yoram Metzger, and 84-year-old Amiram Cooper. Only Chaim Peri spoke in the video, while the other two hostages remained silent. All three men appeared thin and gaunt, wearing white T-shirts. Commenting on the video, IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari stated, "Hamas published a despicable video. Our hearts are with all our abductees every second." Hagari addressed each of the hostages captured in the video by name: "Chaim, Yoram, Amiram, we are doing everything to bring you home. We will not rest until you are home."
