A female captive has been killed in an Israeli strike in northern Gaza, according to a statement by Hamas’s armed wing, as Israel continued its deadly military operation and ordered forced evacuation of Palestinians in Gaza City on Sunday.

Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Obeida said late on Saturday that contact had been re-established with the woman’s captors after several weeks, and it was determined that she had been killed in a northern Gaza area where the Israeli army has been operating.

The statement by Abu Obeida did not provide further details about the woman’s identity or how and when she was killed.

Abu Obeida pointed out that there was a danger to the life of another female captive, holding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the leaders of his army “fully responsible for the lives of the Israeli captives”.

Israel’s military said it could not “confirm or refute” the claim.

In a statement, the Israeli army said it was investigating the claim after Hamas “released footage allegedly showing a hostage who had been killed”.

“[Army] representatives are in contact with her family and are keeping them updated with all available information,” the statement said.

Hamas took some 250 captives during an attack on southern Israel on October 7 last year, according to Israeli authorities. Among them were 23 Thai nationals, one Nepali national and one Filipino national working or studying in Israel.

At least 97 of the captives remain in Gaza, including 34 the army says have been killed.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a campaign group, said it had no additional information regarding Saturday’s claim.

On Saturday evening, thousands of people demonstrated again in Israel demanding the release of the captives.

“To our beloved hostages, if you can hear us, everyone here loves you. Stay strong. Survive,” Rachel Goldberg-Polin said in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening.

Her son, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, 23, was abducted from a music festival in southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

Public pressure

The Israeli government has been facing intense public pressure to secure a new deal to bring the remaining captives home alive. During a one-week truce in November last year, 105 captives were released, including 80 Israelis, in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.

In June, Israeli forces killed at least 274 Palestinians and wounded nearly 700 others to rescue four captives during an operation at Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp.

Hamas says several captives have been killed in Israeli air raids and failed rescue attempts. Israeli soldiers mistakenly killed three Israelis who escaped captivity in December.

Qatar, the United States and Egypt have led months of negotiations for a ceasefire in the Gaza war. Earlier this month, the Gulf state suspended its mediation efforts. Since the one-week pause in fighting last year, brokered by Qatar, successive negotiations have made no headway.

Israel has repeatedly announced it will not stop its bombardment of Gaza until it achieves its war objectives to defeat Hamas and bring the captives home. But 13 months later, Hamas fighters continue to battle Israeli soldiers and dozens of captives remain in Gaza.

Hamas’s attack last year resulted in at least 1,139 deaths, mostly civilians.

Israel has since killed more than 44,000 Palestinians in what campaigners call “a war of vengeance”, turning large swaths of Gaza into rubble. The United Nations and various rights groups have accused Israel of deliberately targeting civilians and residential areas – actions they said amounted to war crimes.

Genocide

A UN committee said on November 14 that Israel’s warfare in the Gaza Strip is consistent with the characteristics of genocide.

“Since the beginning of the war, Israeli officials have publicly supported policies that Strip Palestinians of the very necessities required to sustain life – food, water, and fuel,” the UN Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices said.

“These statements along with the systematic and unlawful interference of humanitarian aid make clear Israel’s intent to instrumentalise life-saving supplies for political and military gains.”

The International Court of Justice (ICC) said in January it is “plausible” that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza.

On Thursday, the ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defence minister, Yoav Gallant, on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. A warrant was also issued against a Hamas leader.

The move marks the first time that a sitting leader of a major Western ally has faced such charges at the global court.