Ask Onix
Israel identifies two hostages killed in Hamas captivity
Israel confirmed on Thursday the identities of two deceased hostages whose remains were returned by Hamas through the Red Cross in Gaza. Forensic examinations identified the bodies as those of Amiram Cooper, 84, and Sahar Baruch, 25, according to a statement from the Israeli prime minister's office.
The government expressed "deep sorrow" to the families of Cooper and Baruch, as well as to all relatives of hostages killed in captivity. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum demanded Hamas immediately return the remaining 11 deceased Israeli and foreign hostages still held in Gaza, in compliance with the U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement.
Cooper abducted with wife; Baruch's family killed in attack
Amiram Cooper was seized alongside his wife, Nurit, from Kibbutz Nir Oz during Hamas's 7 October 2023 assault on Israel. Nurit was released after 17 days, but Amiram remained in captivity. The Israeli military previously stated it believed he was killed in February 2024 while detained in Khan Younis, though final confirmation awaits autopsy results. Hamas had claimed Israeli strikes were responsible for his death.
Sahar Baruch was kidnapped from Kibbutz Be'eri during the same attack, in which Hamas militants also killed his brother, Edan, and grandmother, Geula Bachar. The military estimated Baruch was murdered in captivity on 8 December 2023, with autopsy results pending.
Ceasefire tensions escalate after alleged violations
Under the ceasefire terms, Israel agreed to release the remains of 15 Palestinians for each deceased Israeli hostage returned. On Friday, Israeli authorities handed over 30 Palestinian bodies via the Red Cross in exchange for Cooper and Baruch.
Earlier this week, Israel accused Hamas of violating the truce after delivering a coffin containing remains later identified as Ofir Tzarfati, a hostage whose body had already been recovered by Israeli forces in late 2023. Drone footage released by the Israeli military showed Hamas members reburying Tzarfati's remains before presenting them to Red Cross staff. The Red Cross condemned the staged recovery as "unacceptable," while Hamas dismissed the allegations as "baseless."
Deadly clashes resume despite ceasefire
Hours after the coffin incident, Israel reported a Hamas attack in southern Gaza that killed an Israeli soldier. Though Hamas denied involvement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered airstrikes on "dozens of terror targets" in Gaza. The Hamas-run health ministry reported 104 Palestinian fatalities, including 46 children and 20 women, marking the deadliest day since the ceasefire began on 10 October.
U.S. President Donald Trump, whose administration brokered the deal alongside Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, stated that nothing would derail the agreement but urged Israel to "hit back" when attacked. The ceasefire requires Hamas to return all 20 living and 28 deceased hostages within 72 hours. To date, 15 Israeli hostages' remains have been exchanged for 225 Palestinian bodies, along with those of two foreign hostages (one Thai, one Nepalese).
Hostage crisis persists amid ongoing conflict
Nine of the 11 deceased hostages still in Gaza are Israeli, with one Tanzanian and one Thai national among them. All but one were abducted during Hamas's 7 October 2023 attack, which killed approximately 1,200 people in Israel. The ensuing Israeli military campaign in Gaza has resulted in over 68,600 Palestinian deaths, including more than 200 since the ceasefire took effect, per Gaza's health ministry.
"There are no words to express the depth of this pain. The hostages have no time. We must bring them all home, now!"
Hostages and Missing Families Forum
