“As many as 50 hostages whom Hamas abducted during its Oct. 7 attack could be dead, Israel said privately. The figure, presented during recent talks in Cairo, according to Egyptian officials, has been key in negotiating the release of hostages—alive and dead (🔐 read for free). Israel has publicly acknowledged 29 deaths. If the private estimate is correct, it would mean that around 80 of the 132 hostages believed to be in Gaza are still alive and that militants are keeping dozens of hostages’ corpses. None of the dead have been returned. Hamas militants and others from Gaza had seized more than 240 hostages in the early October assault on Israel.”