John Smith
Nov 14, 2023 - 09:20

IDF confirms death 19-year-old soldier Noa Marciano

Israeli soldier held captive by Hamas confirmed dead. Israel's military confirms the death of Noa Marciano, 19, held captive in Gaza.

Follow MailOnline's LIVE coverage of the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict here

The Israel-Hamas conflict has taken a tragic turn as Israel's military has confirmed the death of a soldier held captive in Gaza. This comes after Hamas issued a video of the soldier alive, followed by images of what the Palestinian faction claimed was her body after she was killed in an Israeli strike.

The soldier, Noa Marciano, 19, was seen in the video identifying herself on camera. The footage then shows still pictures of a young woman of similar appearance lying, looking sallow, and with her eyes closed on a blood-stained bedsheet, with a close-up image showing a bloody head wound. The caption over the video clip stated that Marciano was killed 'in an air strike by the Zionist enemy' last Thursday.

The military confirmed her death, describing her as an 'abductee fatality in the hands of a terrorist organization.' The IDF condemned the video, saying that the Hamas terrorist organization continues to exploit psychological terrorism and act inhumanely through videos and photos of the hostages.

The conflict has seen a significant loss of life on both sides, with 46 Israeli soldiers killed in the fighting inside Gaza since the ground invasion and around 300 soldiers believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack itself. Meanwhile, around 240 hostages are thought to still be in Gaza.

In addition to military casualties, there have been civilian victims, with 859 civilians killed in the October 7 attack, according to Israeli officials. The death toll from the attack on southern Israel has been revised to around 1,200, suggesting around 350 victims remain unidentified.

Among the victims is Vivian Silver, a Canadian-born Israeli activist who devoted her life to seeking peace with the Palestinians. She was confirmed to be among those killed by Hamas. Her son, Yonatan Zeigen, described her as a force of nature, with a giant spirit and strong core beliefs about the world and life.

The conflict has taken a heavy toll on both sides, with thousands of lives lost and families shattered. As the fighting continues, the need for a diplomatic agreement becomes increasingly urgent to prevent further loss of life and suffering.