Family survived

Sad certainty: Another Hamas hostage (59) dead

(Bild: AFP)

Nothing is known about the whereabouts of more than 100 hostages who were abducted by the terrorist organization Hamas in the Gaza Strip on 7 October. The family of Yair Yaakov at least has the sad certainty that the 59-year-old will not have to suffer any longer. His kibbutz announced the death of the Israeli hostage. His wife and two of his children were released at the end of November thanks to the hostage deal.

Yaakov was abducted from the Nir Oz kibbutz. His family hoped for months that he - like them - would eventually return home. But it is suspected that he may have been dead since the major attack on Israel. It could be that only his body was brought into the Gaza Strip by the terrorists.

Yair Yaakov and his wife and sons are shown in this post - the latter were rescued.

Criticism of attack on Palestinian clinic 
Meanwhile, the United Nations Human Rights Office is leveling accusations against Israel following the recent military operation at a Palestinian clinic. "The operation appears to be part of a pattern: Israeli forces attacking vital civilian infrastructure, especially hospitals," said UN human rights spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani in Geneva on Thursday evening. "The impact on the civilian population is appalling," she lamented.

An Israeli helicopter over Khan Younis(Bild: Associated Press)

Israeli soldiers entered the Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis in the south of the Gaza Strip on Thursday to recover dead hostages, according to the military. Several suspects were arrested. A military spokesman spoke of a "precise and limited operation". According to the army, there is credible intelligence information that Hamas was holding hostages in the clinic. The information could not initially be verified.

In conflicts, medical facilities must always be protected, Shamdasani emphasized. Even if Israel argued that a clinic had been used by the enemy, the Israeli military still had to act carefully and proportionately in accordance with international law, the spokesperson emphasized.