The Hamas terrorist group has claimed that Nadav Popplewell, a British-Israeli hostage taken during an attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, has died. The Foreign Office is investigating this claim, but Hamas has provided no evidence to support it. The Israeli military has not commented on the matter.
Hamas released a video on Saturday alleging that Mr. Popplewell died from wounds sustained in an Israeli airstrike a month ago. However, Israel has denied these accusations in the past. Mr. Popplewell was captured with his mother during the attack, and his brother was killed. His mother was released in November 2023.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum described Mr. Popplewell as a “generous and kind” individual who enjoyed reading science fiction novels. Foreign Secretary Lord David Cameron expressed his condolences to Mr. Popplewell’s family and criticized Hamas for playing with their emotions.
The Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7, 2023, and resulted in the abduction of 252 people, with 128 still in Gaza. One hostage, Hanna Katzir, was released in a prisoner exchange deal. The death claim comes after a breakdown in negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
The Gaza health ministry reported that over 34,900 people have died in Israel’s offensive, including combatants and civilians. Israel aims to secure the release of hostages and eliminate Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007.
Lord Cameron warned against banning arms exports to Israel, stating that it would strengthen Hamas and hinder a potential hostage deal. Despite pressure from the US, Israel continued with its plans for a ground attack, prompting concerns about civilian safety in Rafah.
Labour’s Jonathan Ashworth called for a pause in arms sales to prevent further escalation in Rafah, which he described as potentially catastrophic. The UK remains cautious about changing its arms export policies and believes a ceasefire is the best path forward. Can you please rephrase this sentence?
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