Hamas has announced that Nadav Popplewell, a hostage abducted during its October 7 attack on Israel, has died from wounds sustained in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza, Reuters reports.
Hamas claimed that Popplewell, 51, died from injuries sustained in an Israeli airstrike a month earlier. In a video released by the group, Popplewel appeared with a bruise on his right eye, speaking his name. Another video later showed him lying on the ground, purportedly dead. Hamas claimed he was being held with a woman hostage when their location was targeted by an Israeli missile. Hamas blamed Israel for Popplewell’s death, alleging that he didn’t receive adequate medical care due to Gaza’s damaged hospitals. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the latest video, but it has previously referred to such videos as psychological terror and denied accusations by Hamas that hostages were killed by Israeli fire.
Popplewell, also a British citizen, was one of 252 people abducted in the attack, and 128 hostages remain in Gaza. Popplewell was captured with his mother from their home in Kibbutz Nirim, and his brother was killed in the attack. His mother was later freed during a brief truce deal involving a hostage exchange in November.
