A British-Israeli hostage held in Gaza has died, Hamas claimed on Saturday – as Israeli forces ordered further evacuations of the enclave, forcing tens of thousands of Palestinians to leave their homes.
Nadav Popplewell, 51, who was taken hostage during the 7 October on Israel, died of wounds caused by an Israeli airstrike a month ago.
The Palestinian military group provided no evidence to support the claim, which has also not been verified by Israel or Mr Popplewell’s hometown of Nirim.
But the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is investigating and released a statement in which it said “our thoughts are with his family at this extremely distressing time”.
Yorkshire-born Mr Popplewell was captured with his mother, who was later released. His brother was killed in the October attack.
The report of Mr Popplewell’s death came on a day Israel called for Palestinians in more areas of Gaza’s southern city of Rafah to evacuate and head to what it calls an expanded humanitarian area in Al-Mawasi.
People in the northern Gaza cities of Jabalia and Beit Lahiya have also been asked to leave their homes.
The move signals a further indication that the military is pressing ahead with its plans for a ground attack on Rafah.
In Tel Aviv, meanwhile, thousands of Israelis took to the streets demanding Benjamin Netanyahu’s government does more to secure the release of 132 hostages still being held in Gaza.
On Saturday night, Israel’s military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said his troops continued to fight in all parts of the Gaza Strip.
“We will continue to fight in order to create a security situation that will allow the residents of the north and the south to return home safely,” he said in a televised message.
Residents and displaced people in the Jabalia area of northern Gaza are being evacuated, with Rear Admiral Hagari claiming Hamas was trying to re-establish its control of the area.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said at least 37 Palestinians, 24 of them from central Gaza areas, were killed in overnight airstrikes on Friday across the enclave.
More than 1.4 million Palestinians – half of Gaza’s population – have been sheltering in Rafah, most after fleeing Israel’s offensives elsewhere.