An Israeli hostage announced that he was killed in fear of a mountain of captives in Gaza

Hamza Ziyadne, an Arab hostage held in Gaza, was killed in the Palestinian enclave, Israel’s military said on Friday, as efforts by mediators to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas to free the hostages had little success.

On October 7, 2023, approximately 98 hostages remain in Gaza, 15 months after a Hamas-led attack sparked war in Gaza; Israeli officials believe about 36 people died.

The confirmation of Mr Ziyadne’s death comes a day after family and friends also buried his father Yusif Ziyadne, 53, who was also taken hostage. The Israeli military said their bodies were found along with those of the hostage-takers in a tunnel under the southern Gaza city of Rafah. It was not clear when they were found.

Before they were found, none of the hostages were considered dead by Israeli officials, who were trying to use intelligence to assess the condition of the remaining hostages. This is likely to fuel fears among the families of the captives remaining in Gaza that their relatives may have suffered the same fate.

It was not immediately clear how the Ziyadnes died: Some hostages were killed by Israeli airstrikes, while Israel said others were executed by their captors. Israeli army spokesman Nadav Shoshani said on Wednesday that the army was still investigating after Yusif’s death was confirmed.

Israel’s Arab citizens, like Mr. Ziyadne, were not spared in the Hamas attack. At least 17 people were killed and several hostages were taken. According to Israel, about 1,200 people were killed in the attack, and 250 people were taken hostage.

Many, like Mr. Ziyadne, belonged to the Bedouin Arab minority that had long lived on the fringes of Israeli society. Historically nomadic herders, many Bedouins now live in a constellation of towns and villages in southern Israel, some of which lack basic public services such as water and electricity.

23-year-old Hamza Ziyadne was taken hostage along with his father and two younger sisters, Bilal and Aisha, while he was at the Israeli kibbutz where his father worked. Bilal, 18, and Aisha, 17, were released in November 2023 during a week-long ceasefire in which 105 Israeli and foreign hostages – mostly women and children – were released in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.

The Hostage Family Forum, which represents the relatives of the captives, said that Hamza Ziyadne is survived by his wife and two children. In a statement, the group described him as “a nature lover with a deep love for animals and loved by his friends.”

“Four of the family members were kidnapped, only two of them returned alive,” the group said in a statement. “Yusif and Hamza, who survived the captivity of hell in Gaza, could have been saved by the previous agreement.”

Months of efforts to plug gaps in a ceasefire and hostage release agreement between Israel and Hamas have failed. Negotiations mediated by the Biden administration were led by Qatar and Egypt.

Mr Biden said on Thursday that “real progress” had been made in the talks, without providing further details. Officials from all parties have repeatedly expressed optimism over the past few months about a breakthrough, only to see those hopes dashed days later with new obstacles.

For months, Israel and Hamas have been hammering out seemingly irreconcilable terms for a deal. Hamas has demanded an end to the war and a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza as part of any deal to release the hostages. Israeli leaders have said they will not end the war until Hamas is destroyed in Gaza and have vowed to prioritize security there.

Michael D. Shear Contributed to the report in Washington.