Hamas hostage Sahar Baruch killed during IDF rescue attempt

The IDF neither confirmed nor denied whether he was killed by the IDF or during the rescue attempt itself.

JANUARY 3, 2024 18:31

Updated: JANUARY 3, 2024 18:50

Sahar Baruch was a 25-year-old engineering student killed in Hamas captivity. (photo credit: Hostages and Missing Families Forum) — Sahar Baruch was a 25-year-old engineering student killed in Hamas captivity.

(photo credit: Hostages and Missing Families Forum)

Hamas hostage Sahar Baruch, 25, was killed on December 8 in connection with an IDF rescue attempt, the military revealed Wednesday.

The IDF neither confirmed nor denied whether he was killed by the IDF or during the rescue attempt itself.

However, the IDF acknowledged that within a day of the rescue attempt, Hamas had killed him.

Previously, Baruch's death had been announced on December 9 as having occurred while in Hamas's custody. He had been kidnapped on October 7 during Hamas's invasion of southern Israel but was kept alive for around two months.

People hold photographs of Israelis held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, as they attend a protest calling for the government to find a solution to have the hostages released, outside the Hakirya Base (Military Defense Headquarters) in Tel Aviv, December 18, 2023 (credit: TOMER NEUBERG/FLASH90)

IDF refuses to state how Baruch died

The latest revelations came after the IDF acquired new intelligence findings during recent operations and investigations and after the military updated the family.

The IDF did not explain why it could not declare whether Baruch was killed by Hamas or by accident by friendly fire.

To date, the only Israeli hostage rescued by an IDF operation has been Ori Megidish, with 81 others being returned in a hostage deal in November.

Around 130 people remain captives of Hamas.