New tunnels discovered

British-Israeli hostage is dead according to Hamas

The British-Israeli -Hamas hostage Nadav Popplewell (seen on the poster in the center) is dead.

(Bild: AFP/Jack Guez)

The British-Israeli hostage shown in a video released on Saturday is dead, according to the armed arm of Hamas. "Nadav Popplewell, a British citizen, died today after being seriously injured (by Zionist airstrikes) a month ago," it said in another video released later. Meanwhile, Israel says it has discovered more tunnels in the Gaza Strip.

Popplewell's health has deteriorated "because he has not received intensive medical care, as the enemy has destroyed the hospitals in the Gaza Strip," said Essedine al-Qassam Brigades spokesman Abu Obeida.

"Time is running out. Your government is lying"
Previously, an eleven-second recording published on Telegram had shown an emaciated man with a swollen eye in front of a white-tiled wall, apparently speaking under duress. A text underneath read: "Time is running out. Your government is lying." Representatives of the hostages identified the man as 51-year-old Popplewell from Kibbutz Nirim in southern Israel.

The hostage's death was then announced in the apparently complete version of the video from which the eleven-second clip was taken, which was released later. AFP was initially unable to verify the authenticity of the video. Hamas has released similar hostage videos in the past, most recently in April. Israel condemns these publications as psychological warfare.

More tunnels discovered in the Gaza Strip
Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari reported on Saturday that an "underground route" had been found in Zeitun, in the center of the sealed-off coastal strip. Terrorists had planned attacks against Israeli troops from here. A major military operation was taking place in the Zeitun area. According to Hagari, around 30 terrorists were killed.

Dozens of weapons had been seized in a school. A tunnel had also been discovered in eastern Rafah. On Saturday evening, Israeli fighter planes also attacked targets in the northern Gaza Strip, said the army spokesman. This was preceded by an evacuation of the civilian population in the morning.

In recent weeks, attempts by the Islamist Hamas to restore its military facilities had been observed, Hagari said. "Wherever we have intelligence of such attempts by Hamas, we will act."