An Israeli border guard stands at the scene of a reported car-ramming attack at the Ras Bidu checkpoint near the Israeli settlement of Givat Zeev, between Jerusalem and Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, on Jan. 7, 2024. (Credit: Ahmad Gharabli/AFP)
The Israeli police announced Wednesday the death of a policeman in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack and said his body is being held by militants in the Gaza Strip.
"Ran Gvili is no longer alive ... he was killed fighting against the enemy in the battle of [kibbutz] Alumim on Oct. 7," the force said in a statement.
"His body was kidnapped and is being held by a terrorist organization."
Gvili's death brings to 29 the number of dead hostages whose bodies remain in the Palestinian territory, according to an AFP tally.
Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas in response to the group's unprecedented attack on Israel that resulted in the deaths of about 1,140 people, mostly civilians, according to the tally of Israeli official figures.
During the attack, the militants seized about 250 hostages. Israel says around 132 remain in Gaza.
Israel's relentless air and ground offensive since October 7 has killed at least 26,751 people in Gaza, mostly women, children and adolescents, according to the health ministry in Gaza.
The Israeli police announced Wednesday the death of a policeman in the Oct. 7 Hamas attack and said his body is being held by militants in the Gaza Strip.
"Ran Gvili is no longer alive ... he was killed fighting against the enemy in the battle of [kibbutz] Alumim on Oct. 7," the force said in a statement.
"His body was kidnapped...