Jerusalem, Israel

A former Israeli hostage held by Hamas died due to illness on Tuesday (Dec 24). She was the first to lose her life after being released alongside several others who returned after a hostage exchange deal earlier.

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Nir Oz Kibbutz issued a statement announcing the demise of Hanna Katzir. She and her son, Elad, were taken hostage by the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

According to news agency AFP, an Israeli government official has said that Katzir has been recognised as a victim of the October attack by Hamas.

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“Hanna Katzir, 76, kidnapped from her home in Nir Oz during the massacre on October 7th and released during the ceasefire on November 24, 2023, died on December 24, 2024, after a complex medical situation since her release. She has been recognised as a victim of terrorism,” the official said in a statement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his condolences to Katzir family. He also said in a statement that he would “work tirelessly to bring all of our hostages home.”

Who was Hanna Katzir?

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Hanna Katzir, a 76-year-old woman, was one of the hostages captured by Hamas during the October 7 attack in Israel. Earlier, the Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad claimed that she had died just before a hostage deal, however, later it was discovered that she was released in November.

Also read | Israel probe finds Hamas 'murdered' hostages in fear of advancing ground troops

Her husband and son were killed by Hamas in the same attack. While her husband Rami died on the same day in their home, her 47-year-old son, Elad, died in captivity. His body was brought back to Israel in April this year. Karzir was buried on Tuesday (Dec 24) afternoon.

Israel-Hamas hostage deal

Netanyahu on Monday (Dec 23) said in parliament that “some progress” had been made in regard to the negotiations for the release of hostages in Gaza. This comes two days after the talks towards a ceasefire and hostage release deal by Palestinian militant groups.

The October 7 attack resulted in over 1,200 people being killed and more than 250 taken as hostages, according to the news agency AFP. As per the army, 96 civilians are still held in Gaza, while 34 have died.

(With inputs from agencies)