(Updated with details)
JERUSALEM, May 11 (Reuters) – Hamas’ military wing said in a statement on Saturday that an Israeli hostage, Nadav Popplewell, had died from injuries sustained in an Israeli airstrike launched more than a month ago.
Hamas released a video announcing the death of Nadav Popplewell, taken hostage on October 7 in Kibbutz Nirim, in southern Israel.
The Israeli army did not immediately comment on this video.
The IDF described previous hostage videos released by Hamas as psychological terror. The army also denied some of Hamas’s previous accusations that hostages were killed by Israeli fire.
Earlier Saturday, Hamas released an undated video of the 51-year-old hostage standing in front of a white wall, with a bruise on his right eye, and saying his name.
In the second video released a few hours later, it is stated that Nadav Popplewell, believed to have British nationality, died from injuries sustained a month ago during an Israeli airstrike targeting Gaza.
According to Hamas, Nadav Popplewell was held hostage with a woman at the time of the attack on their place of detention, targeted by an Israeli missile.
“He died because he did not receive intensive medical care in medical centers due to the destruction of hospitals by the enemy in Gaza,” said Hamas military wing spokesman Abu Ubaida.
Of 252 people kidnapped on October 7, 128 remain detained in Gaza, according to Israeli counts. At least 36 of them were declared dead by an Israeli forensic committee.
Israel says the aim of its offensive in Gaza is to secure the release of hostages and eradicate Hamas, which has ruled the enclave since 2007.
According to the hostage support group, Nadav Popplewell was captured with his mother at her home in Kibbutz Nirim. His brother was killed during the October 7 attack. His mother was released during a truce in November. (Reporting by Maytaal Angel; French version Elizabeth Pineau)
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