"I regret the death of Dror Or, with Portuguese nationality, who was kidnapped to Gaza. Yesterday [Thursday] the family was informed that he had already been murdered on October 7th and that his body is being held by Hamas in Gaza", wrote Dor Shapira on social network X.

The Israeli diplomat recalled that Dror's wife, Yonat, "was also murdered in the October 7th attack, and the children Noam, 17, and Alma, 13, were kidnapped and released in November". The couple had another son, Yahli.

"There are 133 hostages in Gaza, and everything must be done so that all those kidnapped return", he stressed.

The Israeli government announced today, through network X, that "it has now been confirmed that Dror Or, kidnapped by Hamas on October 7th, was murdered and his body is being held in Gaza".

I regret the death of Dror Or, with Portuguese nationality, who was kidnapped to Gaza. Yesterday the family was informed that he had already been murdered on October 7th and that his body is being held by Hamas in Gaza. Dror's wife, Yonat, was also murdered in the attack… pic.twitter.com/9O7wANJiqH

— Dor Shapira🇮🇱 (@ShapiraDor) May 3, 2024

Dror Or, 49, was killed and his body has been held in the Gaza Strip since October 7th, the authorities of the Be'eri kibbutz, where he lived and whose inhabitants were among the most affected by the attack by the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas against the Israeli territory, said in a statement.

The announcement of Dror Or's death comes at a time when the mediating countries - Qatar, the United States and Egypt - are awaiting Hamas' response to a new truce proposal combined with the release of the hostages.

"Only the release of all hostages - the living so that they can recover, the dead so that they can be buried - will ensure the rebirth and future of our people", said the Hostage Families Forum.

"The Israeli government must do everything in its power to bring back Dror" and the "other murdered hostages, so that they can be buried with honour in Israel", added the association.

The news of the death of the Portuguese citizen was reported by The Guardian newspaper.

At the end of November, a one-week truce allowed the release of 105 hostages, including 80 Israelis and dual nationals, who were exchanged for 240 Palestinians held by Israel.

The war broke out on October 7th, when Hamas commandos carried out an attack that killed 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP report based on official Israeli data.

More than 250 people were kidnapped and, according to Israel, 133, including the deceased, remain in Gaza.

In retaliation, Israel vowed to annihilate Hamas and launched a major offensive in the Gaza Strip, which has already killed more than 34,500 people, mostly civilians, according to the Palestinian movement's Health Ministry.

Read Also: Portuguese government regrets death of Portuguese-Israeli hostage in the Gaza Strip (Portuguese version)