As anger and protests erupt in Israel over the death of six hostages in Gaza, an autopsy has revealed that they were shot at close range sometime between Thursday and Friday. The bodies of the six hostages were recovered from a tunnel under the city of Rafah in Gaza over the weekend.
The postmortem examination conducted on the remains revealed that they were killed 48 to 72 hours before their autopsy. They were shot multiple times from close range, indicating they were executed, according to the Israeli Health Ministry.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) also said that the hostages were killed relatively shortly before troops located their bodies on Saturday afternoon in a tunnel in Rafah. The security officials believe that the militant group executed the hostages due to concerns that a hostage who was rescued alive from a nearby tunnel last week, Farhah al-Qadi, would divulge details about where the other captives were being held.
Al-Qadi, 52, was safely rescued by IDF special forces from Hamas captivity in one of the terror group’s tunnels in the southern Gaza Strip. He was found alone inside the tunnel after his captives fled.
"Their bodies were found during the fighting in Rafah, in a tunnel, about a kilometre away from the tunnel from which we rescued Farhan al-Qadi a few days ago," IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari told reporters.
He added that though the IDF did not have the exact location of the hostages it had a general idea about where the hostages could be. It was operating in the area when they stumbled on the tunnel and the bodies.
"Since Farhan was found, troops were given an emphasis on operating carefully even more than usual, because of the understanding that additional hostages might be in the area. We did not have information on the exact location of the hostages," Hagari said. The search ended some 20 meters underground where the bodies lay.
Tens of thousands of Israelis are gathering all over Israel to call for the immediate release of the 101 hostages.
— Hen Mazzig (@HenMazzig) September 1, 2024
All of Israel is unified tonight in our cry to BRING THEM HOME.
No more dead bodies. No more funerals. We need every hostage reunited with their family ALIVE. pic.twitter.com/lqtKH2UzcT
Meanwhile, protests are brewing in Israel after hundreds of thousands of Israelis gathered in Israeli cities on Sunday against the deaths of the hostages. They expressed pain and anger and demanded a hostage-ceasefire deal. They also carried six “symbolic coffins” to symbolise the six bodies that were recovered on Saturday night.
A prominent labour union Histadrut labour union has announced a general strike on Monday to pressure the government to reach a deal. It is believed that 97 of the 251 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza, including the bodies of at least 33 confirmed dead by the IDF.
