Hamas taunt family of UK-born hostage with sick video stunt
CRUEL Hamas terrorists last night announced a British-born hostage being held in Gaza has been killed – less than three hours after releasing a video that appeared to show he was alive.
In a sickening stunt, Hamas released the first video showing British-Israeli Nadav Popplewell, 51, seen with a black eye, speaking to camera to give his name and age.
The chilling 11-second clip ended with a question mark on the screen, while ominous music played in the background. It was the first time Mr Popplewell, from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, had been seen since he was captured with his mother Channah Peri, 79, during the Hamas attacks last October.
Then, three hours later, the terrorist organisation released a 44-second clip which said that Mr Popplewell had died yesterday, after he was injured in an Israeli military airstrike last month.
The gruesome video showed cartoon blood dripping down the screen over Mr Popplewell’s face, and a caption stated: ‘Military pressure = failure and death.’
Last night, Hamas spokesperson Abu Obaida said Mr Popplewell had ‘died of wounds he sustained after Zionist fighter jets targeted his place of detention over a month ago’. Hamas said another hostage, 70-year-old Judy Feinstein, died in the same airstrike.
Hamas captured Mr Popplewell and his mother from their kibbutz home in southern Israel during the October 7 terror attacks. His brother Roi, 54, was shot and killed during the raid.
Ms Peri was released six weeks later during a temporary ceasefire. Her daughter Ayelet, 46, who is Nadav’s sister, previously told the Mail that their mother ‘won’t survive’ if she is forced to bury another son.
Mr Popplewell was a dual British-Israeli citizen. A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: ‘We’re urgently seeking more information following the release of this video. Our thoughts are with his family at this extremely distressing time.
‘The UK government has been working with partners across the region to secure the release of hostages, including British nationals. We will continue to do all we can to secure the release of hostages.’ Hen Mazzig, a Senior Fellow at the Tel Aviv Institute, an online hate research centre, said: ‘It’s horrifying to see the extent of Hamas brutality and inhumanity.’
He said the videos were ‘a reminder of Hamas war crimes and violation of countless of international laws: kidnapping, brutalising, not providing information about the hostages, playing with their lives and cynically weaponising the pain of the families and Israelis.’ Hamas fighters have previously teased the fate of the hostages in an attempt to torment their families.
Earlier this year, Hamas released a propaganda video featuring Noa Argamani, 26, Yossi Sharabi, 53, and Itay Svirsky, 38, alongside the caption: ‘What do you think? All killed? Some killed, some injured? Still alive. Tonight we will inform you of their fate.’
Hamas later revealed that Noa Argamani was still alive but the other two men had died. Israel regards the videos as a form of psychological warfare and does not comment on them. Hamas took 240 people hostage during the October attacks and around 132 are thought to remain in Gaza.
Last night The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents the interests of the Israeli hostage families, urged the Israeli government to agree a ceasefire with Hamas.
‘Cynically weaponising the pain of the families’