( Christian Post )
Hamas has told international mediators it can't identify 40 living hostages who meet the requirements for a U.S.-backed ceasefire deal as American and Israeli officials increasingly fear most of the people still held captive may already be dead.
The proposal for a six-week ceasefire consisted of Hamas releasing 40 hostages, including women, children, elderly men and those in poor health, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. The terrorist group, however, told international mediators that it does not have 40 living hostages who meet that criteria.
Officials familiar with negotiations told The Wall Street Journal this week that estimates from the U.S. indicate most of the hostages are already dead. However, the U.S. has limited information on the hostages and is dependent on Israeli intelligence.
Both Israeli and American officials estimate that the number of deceased hostages is higher than they previously believed.
U.S. officials told the outlet that the hostages may have died due to health reasons, including injuries they sustained when they were taken captive. Some U.S. officials said that a few hostages could have been killed during Israeli strikes on Gaza.
A Hamas official has reportedly said the terror group won't commit to releasing 40 living hostages but could commit to 40 hostages total, which would suggest some would be dead. The Israeli military and the prime minister's office wouldn't state publicly their estimates on how many hostages remain alive.
There are believed to be 130 hostages remaining in Gaza. In February, an Israeli intelligence report confirmed the deaths of 34 of the hostages taken by Hamas. According to The New York Times, the report stated that some of the captives were killed on Oct. 7, the day the terrorist group launched its assault against Israel.
After Hamas militants broke through the border on Oct. 7, the terrorists slaughtered at least 1,200 people, primarily civilians, and they abducted over 240 others.
In response, Israel launched an offensive In Gaza to eradicate Hamas and secure the release of the hostages. The Hamas-controlled Gaza Health Ministry claims at least 33,000 people have been killed since the war began. However, these numbers don't distinguish between civilians and combatants.
During a temporary ceasefire last year, over 100 hostages were released as part of a deal that included Israel releasing Palestinian prisoners convicted of violent crimes, such as stabbing Israeli soldiers.
Last weekend, Israeli authorities confirmed the death of Elad Katzir, a 47-year-old farmer abducted by Hamas during the group's Oct. 7 attack. The terror group took Katzir from Nir Oz kibbutz and held him captive in Khan Yunis, a city in Gaza.
The Israel Defence Forces and Israeli Security Agency said that the farmer died while he was held prisoner by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist organization. The IDF and ISA announced that they had retrieved the man's body after an overnight raid.
"The body of the abductee Elad Katzir, who according to intelligence was murdered in captivity by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization, was rescued overnight from Khan Yunis and returned to Israeli territory," the Israeli agencies announced in a statement.
In a statement on social media, Katzir's sister, Carmit Palty Katzir, said that one "consolation" is that her brother "will have a grave in Nir Oz." Carmit was critical of the Israeli government, asserting that it could have done more to prevent her brother's death.
"Elad was kidnapped from his home in Nir Oz alive and well and filmed twice from captivity," the sister wrote. "He could have been saved if a deal would have happened on time. Our leadership is cowardly and devoid of political considerations, and therefore, it didn't happen."
"Eladi, may the memory of you be of laughter, hugs and joy, fields and soil," she added. "That is not how your story ought to have ended. Please forgive us for failing to save you. I will love you forever."