The Israeli military said it was investigating but could not refute or confirm claims of casualties in separate incidents.
Hamas’s military wing said an Israeli prisoner was killed in Gaza and two female captives were wounded in a separate incident, days before a new round of ceasefire talks proposed by the United States, Egypt and Qatar.
Abu Obeida, a spokesman for the Qassam Brigades, said in a statement on Telegram on Monday that the Israeli captive was killed by his guards.
Attempts to save the lives of the two seriously injured were underway, he said, adding that a committee had been formed to investigate and more details would be announced.
Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari said the investigation was ongoing. “At this stage, we do not have any intelligence… that allows us to refute or confirm Hamas’s allegations,” Hagari said in a message posted on X.
In Israel, protesters have been gathering weekly to demand a ceasefire that would allow prisoners to be repatriated. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has been criticized for failing to finalize the deal and for increasing tensions with Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The near-daily border clashes between the Lebanese group and Israeli forces, which have been ongoing since the Gaza conflict began in October, have intensified. Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr was killed in Beirut, hours after Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Tehran.
The United Nations Security Council is scheduled to hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday following an Israeli attack on a Gaza City school turned shelter that killed more than 100 Palestinians.
This will be the 24th special session of the Council since the start of the war in Gaza on 7 October.
The UN Security Council has yet to bring an end to the conflict, as the death toll in the enclave approaches 40,000. An emergency meeting was held on October 30 to call for a halt to the fighting as the death toll rose to 8,000, but it has since risen fivefold.
On May 24, the UN Security Council met to adopt a resolution condemning the killing of UN staff and aid workers. Since then, 15 more UN staff have been killed, along with other aid workers.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, at least 39,897 people have been killed and 92,152 injured since October. An estimated 1,139 people have been killed in Israel in Hamas-led attacks and more than 200 have been captured.
Qatar, Egypt and the United States have scheduled a new round of negotiations on a Gaza ceasefire for August 15.
Hamas has asked mediators to present a plan based on a proposal put forward by US President Joe Biden, instead of trying to reach a new deal.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke Monday with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan “about the importance of Hamas returning to negotiations” this week to finalize “the framework for achieving an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Gaza and securing the release of all hostages,” the U.S. State Department said.
Fidan said Israel must avoid “provocative actions” that could escalate tensions and said Hamas had shown a “constructive attitude” in previous truce negotiations, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.
He added that the assassination of Haniyeh in Iran on July 31 and the “ongoing massacre against the Palestinians have demonstrated once again Israel’s lack of will to establish peace,” according to the Turkish ministry spokesman.
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