Israeli Military Report Finds Gaza Captives Executed Amid February Airstrikes

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Dec 04, 2024

Above: Family, friends, politicians, and members of the local Jewish community gather at the Midway Jewish Center on Long Island for a memorial service for Israeli American soldier Omer Neutra on Dec. 3, 2024 in Syosset, New York. Image copyright: Spencer Platt/Staff/Getty Images North America via Getty Imagesstory last updated Dec 04

The Facts

An Israeli military investigation released on Wednesday found that six Israeli hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7 were likely executed by their captors amid an airstrike on a tunnel in which they were held. However, the probe also concluded that the captives would have died from the airstrike anyway.
The Israeli military recovered the hostages' bodies in August, though they were thought to have been killed in February. Their captors died from suffocation or the inhalation of carbon dioxide caused by the strike's destruction of the tunnel. It is unclear if the hostages were executed before, during, or after the strike.

The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

The US and its allies are confident that after some tough negotiating, a deal between Israel and Hamas can be reached. A guaranteed end to the war will ensure increased humanitarian aid to the besieged enclave, the release of Israeli hostages, and create a better "day after" in Gaza without Hamas in power. The US will continue to work toward closing the gaps and ensuring that peace and stability can be restored to the region.

Politico

Pro-Israel narrative

The hostages must be rescued through continued military pressure on Hamas, as the terrorist organization cannot be trusted to negotiate in good faith. The execution of captives in tunnels and the use of civilian shields demonstrates Hamas' brutality and justifies the military operation to eliminate the existential threat the group poses to Israeli society.

Jerusalem Post

Pro-Palestine narrative

Everyone seems to understand — including many Israelis — that the main obstacle to ending this war is Benjamin Netanyahu. However, the US continues its charade of blaming Hamas for the lack of progress when the group has shown much flexibility in negotiations. These six hostages died because Israel refused to end its genocidal campaign in Gaza. The war could be over tomorrow, yet the US continues to back Netanyahu's intransigence.