Tel Aviv, Israel

The Israeli Army has said that its military operations in southern Gaza likely contributed to Hamas' decision to kill six hostages in August. The victims' bodies were discovered in an underground shaft in Rafah during Israeli operations. 

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had said earlier that the hostages had been "executed" with a bullet "to the head".

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What did the Israeli investigation find?

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An Israeli military investigation into the deaths of the six hostages — identified as Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi and Ori Danino — revealed that the advancement of Israeli ground forces prompted Hamas to "murder them".

Israeli "ground activities in the area, although gradual and cautious, had a circumstantial influence on the terrorists' decision to murder the six hostages," the army said in a statement on Tuesday (Dec 24).

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Following the army's statement, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum urged swift action to secure the release of all remaining hostages. They called for a clear agreement ensuring the return of hostages within a set timeframe.

"The time has come to bring back all the hostages. We need a deal that will ensure the return of all hostages within a quick and predetermined timeframe," said the group in a statement.

Ceasefire negotiations in the works

Efforts to negotiate a ceasefire and the release of hostages continue in Doha, mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the United States.

Israeli negotiators recently returned from Qatar after what Netanyahu’s office described as a "significant" round of talks. 

On Monday, Netanyahu also informed parliament that there had been "some progress" in the discussions.

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Hamas and other Palestinian groups have also reported advancements toward a ceasefire. 

The war began on October 7, sparked by a Hamas attack on Israel that claimed 1,208 lives and resulted in 251 hostages being taken, 96 of which still remain in captivity in Gaza.

Israeli officials claim that 34 of these hostages are deceased.

The retaliatory Israeli campaign has resulted in over 45,000 deaths in Gaza, mostly civilians, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry, whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations.

(With inputs from agencies)

Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos.