Cameron criticises ‘callous’ Hamas for hostage video
The Foreign Secretary has branded Hamas “callous” after it released a video of a British-Israeli hostage with a black eye before claiming hours later that he was dead.
Lord Cameron said on Sunday he could give no updates on the fate of 51-year-old Nadav Popplewell but the Foreign Office was investigating.
On Saturday, Hamas said Mr Popplewell had died after being wounded in an Israeli air strike a month ago. It provided no evidence for the claim and the Israeli military has not commented.
Hours earlier, the Palestinian terrorist group released undated footage of Mr Popplewell, who was taken hostage during its Oct 7 attack on Israel, with a black eye.
‘Dreadful, inhuman people’
Lord Cameron told the BBC’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme: “I can’t give you any new updates this morning.
“Like everyone else, I watched the video on Twitter, X, last night, put out by Hamas of Nadav answering a question as to who he was. And I watched that video and you just think, what callous people they are to do that, to play with the family’s emotions in that way.
“I met Nadav’s family, his sister, and I know the heartbreak they’ve been going through for over 200 days, and when you see what Hamas are prepared to do, you just realise the terrible, dreadful, inhuman people, frankly, that we are dealing with.”
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is “trying to work out what has happened” and will not “say anything until we have better information”, he added.
The Tory peer also urged the BBC to call Hamas a terrorist group. “Maybe it’s a moment actually for the BBC to ask itself again, shall we describe these people as terrorists? They are terrorists.”
On Saturday, an FCDO spokesman said: “We’re urgently seeking more information following the release of this video. Our thoughts are with his family at this extremely distressing time.
“The UK Government has been working with partners across the region to secure the release of hostages, including British nationals. We will continue to do all we can to secure the release of hostages.”
Hostage’s brother died in Oct 7 attack
Israel has previously denied accusations by Hamas that hostages were killed by Israeli fire.
Mr Popplewell was captured with his mother from her home in Kibbutz Nirim, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
His brother was killed during the attack, while his mother was released during a temporary ceasefire in November.
The campaign group described Mr Popplewell as “generous and kind” and an avid reader of science fiction novels.
Hamas still holds around 100 of the 250 hostages taken during the Oct 7 attack, in which 1,200 Israelis were killed. More than 30 of the hostages are thought to be dead.
