Israeli authorities reported that three hostages taken by Hamas are dead

Israeli authorities confirmed the deaths of three hostages who were kidnapped by Hamas during the October 7 attack.

The victims were identified as Aria Zalmanowicz, 85, Maya Goren, 56, and Ronen Engel, 54, all residents of Kibbutz Nir Oz, an Israeli border community.

So far, no details have been revealed about how they died or how their deaths were verified. However, Israeli authorities issued a statement announcing each death and providing brief descriptions of the victims, as reported by Fox News.

Aria Zalmanowicz, one of the founders of Kibbutz Nir Oz, "[He] was a father of two and grandfather of five grandchildren. He was a man of the land, dedicated to agriculture his entire life. He was an avid reader, with a wide knowledge of history and the country. May his memory be a blessing," reads the statement published by Fox News.

Maya Goren, a mother of four and a kindergarten teacher, was described as hard-working and dedicated. Her husband, Avner Goren, was also killed during the October 7 attack.

According to the statement, Ronen Engel was a photographer and volunteer with Israel's national emergency medical service, Magen David Adom. His wife and two daughters were also kidnapped on October 7, but they were recently released.

The announcements of these tragic losses came just hours after the week-long ceasefire between Israel and Hamas expired. During this period, Hamas released around 110 hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

It should be noted that, in total, some 240 hostages were taken during the October 7 attack, so negotiators still hope to reach another agreement that will allow the release of more people held by Hamas. However, the situation has become complicated after the terrorist group broke the truce by launching missiles at Israel.