A New York Times investigation reports that 41 of the hostages died in captivity.
The article is based on IDF investigations, forensic analysis, and interviews with Israeli officials and relatives of the victims. According to the report, some hostages were murdered by Hamas, others died from Israeli strikes, and the cause of death for the rest remains unknown.
Three hostages were mistakenly killed in December 2023 by IDF soldiers who thought they were Hamas forces, and another hostage died in the crossfire during a rescue attempt. According to the investigation, the circumstances surrounding the deaths of 26 others "remain ambiguous."
During the massacre, various terrorist organizations in Gaza captured 251 individuals, both Israelis and foreigners, most of them alive. Since then, more than 130 have been returned in two deals for Palestinian prisoners.
Additionally, security forces rescued eight hostages alive and recovered the remains of 40 others found in the strip. Among the 59 hostages still held in Gaza, Israel claims that at least 24 of them are alive.