The IDF has announced the death of Sahar Baruch, a hostage who was killed during an attempted rescue from Hamas captivity in Gaza.

Why it matters:

The tragic outcome of the rescue mission highlights the complex challenges faced in securing the release of hostages held by Hamas. The incident underlines the dangers Israeli forces encounter during such operations and brings to light the ongoing issue of captives and the remains of soldiers held in Gaza since 2014.

What happened:

The Israeli military conveyed to the family of 25-year-old Sahar Baruch that he was killed when a rescue operation went awry on December 8. The exact cause of his death remains uncertain, with no clear indication whether he was killed by Hamas or caught in the crossfire during the Israeli operation.

Background:

Baruch was taken hostage during an attack by Hamas militants on Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, where multiple residents were abducted or killed. Despite a brief period of release for some captives during a truce in November, many remain in captivity, and the circumstances of their detention are often unclear.

The IDF’s stance:

In response to Baruch’s confirmed death, the military stated its commitment to continue supporting the hostage families and to employ all available intelligence and operational tactics to repatriate the hostages still held in Gaza.

Larger context:

Hamas continues to hold the bodies of two IDF soldiers, Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, since 2014. Additionally, two Israeli civilians, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, believed to be alive, remain in Hamas captivity after entering Gaza of their own volition in 2014 and 2015.

This story was first published on timesofisrael.com.