JERUSALEM (AP) —The Israeli military says a hostage taken captive by Hamas was killed in a failed rescue attempt in Gaza.
The hostage, 25-year-old Sahar Baruch, had been previously reported to have been killed, but Israel initially blamed Hamas, while Hamas said Israeli forces killed him in a raid.
The military said Wednesday it was not possible to determine whether Baruch died from Israeli fire or from Hamas in the rescue mission, which took place in early December.
The announcement about Baruch comes weeks after Israel said its forces accidentally killed three hostages in the Gaza Strip. Some relatives of hostages have said the protracted fighting puts the remaining captives at risk.
Following a hostage release deal in late November, some 129 hostages remain, although about 20 are said to have died in captivity.