Israeli army announces death of soldier held captive by Hamas in Gaza

The Israeli army on Sunday announced the death of a soldier held captive by Palestinian group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

A military statement said Staff Sgt. Shay Levinson, 19, from the 7th Armored Brigade's 77th Battalion, was taken hostage from the Nahal Oz area during Hamas' Oct. 7 attack.

His body remains in the Gaza Strip.

According to military figures released by the Israeli army, at least 532 soldiers have been killed since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict on Oct. 7.

Hamas is believed to be holding nearly 136 Israelis following the Oct. 7 attack.

At least 25,105 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and 62,681 injured in a deadly offensive launched by Israel on the Gaza Strip following the Hamas attack, which Tel Aviv says killed 1,200 people.

The Israeli offensive has left 85% of Gaza's population internally displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure was damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.