Foreign Office seeking information as Hamas claims British-Israeli hostage dead

The Foreign Office is urgently seeking more information after Hamas on Saturday claimed that a British-Israeli hostage had died in Gaza.

The Palestinian militant group released a video saying that Nadav Popplewell, who was taken hostage during its October 7 attack on Israel, died after being wounded in an Israeli airstrike a month ago.

It provided no evidence for the claim and the Israeli military has not commented.

A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said: “We’re urgently seeking more information following the release of this video. Our thoughts are with his family at this extremely distressing time.

“The UK Government has been working with partners across the region to secure the release of hostages, including British nationals. We will continue to do all we can to secure the release of hostages.”

Earlier on Saturday, Hamas released undated footage of Mr Popplewell, 51, with a black eye confirming his name.

The militants released a second video hours later in which they said he died of wounds sustained in a missile strike.

Israel has previously denied accusations by Hamas that hostages were killed by Israeli fire.

Mr Popplewell was captured with his mother from her home in Kibbutz Nirim, according to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

His brother was killed during the attack. His mother was released during a temporary ceasefire in November.

The campaign group described him as “generous and kind” and an avid reader of science fiction novels.

The Israel-Hamas war was triggered by Hamas’s October 7 attack on southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw another 250 taken hostage.

The group still holds around 100 captives, with more than 30 thought to be dead.

Israel’s offensive in Gaza has killed more than 34,900 people, according to the local health ministry.