Israel’s military has confirmed that hostage Sahar Baruch was killed in a failed December rescue mission. It said it was unclear whether he was killed by Hamas or accidental fire from Israeli forces, Al Jazeera reports.

Speaking to Israeli radio, Baruch’s aunt, Merav Barkai, said: “We were scared from the beginning that there would be a military attempt to rescue him and it would end this way,” Al Jazeera cites the Times of Israel.

She also said his family is sad that Israeli troops were wounded in the operation, according to the media.

Editorial

31 Jul, 2026

Expanding conflict

WITH neither of the belligerents willing to back down, and the theatre of conflict expanding geographically, the...
31 Jul, 2026

Spoils and spats

A FIGHT over assembly seats in Azad Jammu and Kashmir has laid bare what seem to be some deep resentments between ...
31 Jul, 2026

Unfair tax system

THE disclosure that the FBR collected nearly Rs1.9tr in sales and income taxes through electricity bills over the...
30 Jul, 2026

Debt that stays

THE power sector’s circular debt grew by Rs61bn in the last fiscal year, taking the total to roughly Rs1.67tr from...
30 Jul, 2026

HIV warning

THE HIV infections detected around two SESSI-run hospitals in Karachi demand far more than another hurried committee...
30 Jul, 2026

End trafficking

MODERN slavery, in the form of human trafficking, is among the state’s gravest failures. Scores of Pakistanis are...