Hamas says 7 hostages killed during Israeli attacks in Gaza

Hamas's armed wing said on Friday that seven Israeli captives had been killed by Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip, where the Islamist group has been holding dozens of prisoners since the onset of the ongoing conflict.

The al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement that they had lost contact with some of their fighters who were guarding the captives, and that they had confirmed the deaths of seven captives after weeks of verification.

The group named three of the dead Israelis as Haim Gershon Perry, Yoram Etak Metzger, and Amiram Israel Kuper, and said it would reveal the identities of the other four later.

It also said that the total number of Israeli prisoners killed by Israeli military operations in Gaza could be more than 70.

Israel's military said in January that 136 people, including patients, wounded, elderly, children and women, were still being held in the Gaza Strip.