Israel confirms death of Hamas hostage in Gaza

Darryl Coote
·1 min read
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UPI
Dror Or, 49, was taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7. On Thursday, the government of Israeli confirmed that he is dead. Photo courtesy of Israel/X

May 3 (UPI) -- An Israeli man kidnapped by Hamas during its bloody surprise attack on the Middle Eastern country in October has died, the Israeli government said, stating the man's body was being held by the Iran-backed militia in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza.

"We are heartbroken to share that Dror Or who was kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7, had been confirmed as murdered and his body is being held in Gaza," the Israeli government said in a statement published to X.

No information about when he died or how was released to the public.

Or, 49, and two of his three children, 13-year-old Alma and 17-year-old Noam, were among the 253 Israelis and foreign citizens who were abducted from their homes by Hamas during its Oct. 7 attack that ignited the now nearly seven-month-old war with Israel in Gaza.

His wife, Yonat, was killed along with some 1,200 other Israelis in Hamas' initial assault, while Alma and Noam were released in November during a brief cease-fire in the fighting that permitted the exchange of prisoners held by Israel and hostages held by Hamas.

The Israel Defense Force estimates that around 130 hostages are still being held captive by Hamas, though a number of them are believed to be dead.