The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed and admitted that 25-year-old Israeli hostage Sahar Baruch was killed in Gaza during an attempt to rescue him from Hamas in early December.
Local media reported on Wednesday, January 3 that they notified Baruch's family this week, but said it remained unclear whether he was killed by Israeli forces or by Hamas, which was a reversal of its December 9 statement that he was "murdered" by Hamas.
Even then, however, the IDF noted that they were "still verifying and investigating the details regarding the place of his murder."
According to The Times of Israel, two IDF personnel were severely injured during the failed rescue attempt.
Bringing Sahar Baruch's Body Home
Israeli officials believe that over 130 hostages remain in captivity in Gaza, including the corpses of those who have since died such as Baruch.
However, US officials cautioned that there was no way to be sure how many of them remained alive.
Israel, the US, Qatar, Egypt, and Hamas were still in negotiations surrounding another truce and a potential second wave of hostage exchanges, though little progress has been made.
So far, no concrete developments have been secured as of writing.
Baruch was abducted by Hamas on October 7 while he was at Kibbutz Be'eri.
"It is with great sadness and a broken heart that we announce the murder of Sahar Baruch who was kidnapped from his home by Hamas terrorists to Gaza and was murdered there," Kibbutz Be'eri and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum said in a joint statement. "We share in the unbearable grief of his parents, Tami and Roni, his brothers, Guy and Niv, his family and all his loved ones."
