Hamas says Israeli hostage killed

Hamas said on Saturday an Israeli woman taken hostage during the October 2023 attack had been killed in northern Gaza, but Israel's military said it could not "confirm or refute" the claim.

Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Obeida said contact had been restored with the woman's captors after a break of several weeks, and it was established that the hostage had been killed in an area of north Gaza where the Israeli army has been operating.

Abu Obeida's statement did not further identify the hostage or say how or when she was killed.

The Israeli army said in a statement it was examining the information after Hamas "released footage allegedly showing a hostage who had been killed". It added: "At this stage, we cannot confirm or refute it. (Army) representatives are in contact with her family and are keeping them updated with all available information."

Abu Obeida said the woman had been held with a second female hostage whose life was in danger.

During last year's Hamas attack which triggered the Gaza war, militants took 251 hostages, of whom 97 are still held in Gaza, including 34 the army says are dead.