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Of about 250 people dragged into the Gaza Strip by Hamas-led
Palestinian gunmen during the Oct. 7 cross-border rampage that
sparked the war, scores were freed in a November truce, while
others have been recovered - dead or alive - by Israeli troops.
The government tally said 120 remain in captivity, 43 of whom
have been declared dead in absentia by Israeli officials based
on various sources of information, including intelligence
tip-offs, CCTV or bystander videos and forensic analysis.
Some officials have privately said that the number of dead could
be higher.
Hamas, which threatened at the outset of the war to execute
hostages in reprisal for Israeli air strikes, has since said
such attacks caused hostage deaths. Israel has not ruled that
out in all cases, but said that some recovered hostage bodies
showed signs of execution.
On Monday, four more hostages were added to Israel's list of
fatalities.
U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday went public with an Israeli
proposal to wind down the war, under which some hostages would
go free during a preliminary ceasefire.
But mediated efforts to clinch that deal have been bogged down
as Israel insists on eventually resuming the campaign to destroy
Hamas while the Palestinian Islamist group demands a guaranteed
end to the war and withdrawal of all invasion forces.
(Writing by Dan Williams. Editing by Gerry Doyle)
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