Israel says 19 Gaza hostages dead in absentia

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel declared 19 of 135 people still in Gaza captivity dead in absentia on Tuesday, after announcing its forces had recovered the bodies of two hostages.

The list of 19 includes a Tanzanian national, the government press office said. It did not name him.

Tanzania has said that two of its citizens, both farming students, had been among some 240 people taken hostage by Hamas in the militant group’s Oct 7 cross-border rampage. One of the Tanzanians was confirmed dead last month.

(Reporting by Dan Williams; editing by Rami Ayyub)