Abu Obeida, the military spokesperson for the Al-Qassam Brigades, announced on Saturday, the death of an Israeli captive, Begev Bukhataf, as a result of malnutrition and the absence of medicine. 

Abu Obeida had previously emphasized the conditions that both Israeli captives and the Palestinian people were facing, as they fought hunger, food insecurity, and illness that has threatened their lives. 

In his statement, Abu Obeida highlighted, in a video of the captive published by the Brigades' military media, that although the captive had survived "Israel's" targeting and airstrikes, he could not survive the lack of food and medicine, and that Israeli captives will suffer from the same things Gazans are suffering from. 

🚨🇵🇸 Al Qassam Published About the fate of a one of the hostages:

"Although he survived the IDF army's attacks, he did not escape the lack of food and medicine"

למרות ששרד מתקיפת טילי צה"ל, אבל לצערינו הו לא שרד ממחסור מזון ותרופ

رغم أنه نجا من استهدافات جيش الإحتلال إلا أنه… pic.twitter.com/KCBE6qtGuI

— MonitorX (@MonitorX99800) March 23, 2024

Earlier at the start of March, Abu Obeida revealed that the number of "enemy prisoners" killed by Israeli occupation forces "may have exceeded seventy."

This came after Israeli airstrikes killed a total of seven Israeli captives held in the Gaza Strip by the Palestinian Resistance.

"Throughout this time, we have sought to preserve the lives of the prisoners. However, it is evident that the enemy's leadership deliberately intends to eliminate this issue by killing its captives."

However, the military spokesperson confirmed that the Resistance would only exchange the same number of Palestinian detainees for the same number of Israeli captives, be they dead or alive.

Read more: Continued Israeli aggression jeopardizes captives' lives: Abu Obeida

UNRWA says severe malnutrition spreading to southern Gaza

The Gaza Strip is facing a major food shortage, with the situation so dire that people are resorting to using animal feed as a source of food, according to Adnan Abu Hasna, a media advisor for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

In a press statement, Abu Hasna said that the situation in the Gaza Strip was "miserable" and that "the food shortage is a major catastrophe." He added that the aid that has been airdropped into the Strip was not enough nor was it reaching all of those who need it.

Abu Hasna stressed the need for immediate food and water supplies to be sent to the Gaza Strip, warning that malnutrition is becoming a serious problem, especially in the southern part of the Strip.

Read more: 'Israel' kills Palestinians waiting for aid in another Flour Massacre