Gaza war: Some of the six Israeli hostages found dead were approved for potential swap, says Hamas
File photo.
Palestinian militant group Hamas said on Sunday (Sept 1) that some of thesix Israeli hostages found dead in a Gaza tunnel had been "approved" for release in the event of a truce deal.
Speaking to the news agency AFP, a senior Hamas official said that these captives would have been exchanged for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel.
"Some of the names of the captives announced as found by the (Israeli) occupier... were part of the list of hostages to be released that Hamas had approvedin a proposed exchange for Palestinian prisoners held in Israel," the official said on the condition of anonymity.
Who were the six hostages?
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Earlier on Sunday, the Israeli military announced that it recovered the bodies of the six hostagesfrom a tunnel in southern Gaza, where they were apparently killed not long before Israeli troops reached them.
Also read |Netanyahu pledges to 'settle the score' with Hamas after six hostages' bodies found in Gaza
According to the military, the deceased hostages were identified asCarmel Gat, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi and Ori Danino.
Their bodies werefound underground in the city of Rafah and have been taken to Israel, he said.
"According to our initial estimation, they were brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists a short time before we reached them,"military spokespersonRear Admiral Daniel Hagari said during a press conference.
The recovered bodies were of the six hostages from among the250hostagescaptured during the Hamas-led shock incursion into southern Israel on October 7 last year that sparked the war in Gaza.
'Israel will not rest until...'
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been facing pressure to reach a deal that includes a ceasefire and the release of the remaining hostages, said on Sunday that his country would not rest until it caught those responsible for the killing of the six hostages.
Also watch |How Hamas executed Oct 7 attack: New probe reveals explosive details
“In recent days, as Israel has been holding intensive negotiations with the mediator in a supreme effort to reach a deal, Hamas is continuing to steadfastly refuse all proposals. Even worse, at the exact same time, it murdered six of ourhostages. Whoever murdershostages– does not want a deal," Prime Minister Netanyahu said.
(With inputs from agencies)