Israel-Gaza updates: IDF says it expects war to last all of 2024

Judy Weinstein, a 70-year-old American-Israeli-Canadian hostage, was confirmed dead on Thursday, Kibbutz Nir Oz said in a statement.

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Kibbutz spokesperson confirms 2nd American hostage killed

A second American hostage kidnapped during the Oct. 7 terror attack in Israel has reportedly been killed, a spokesperson for the Nir Oz kibbutz said.

ABCNews.com

Weinstein was fatally wounded during Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel and her body remains held in Gaza, the kibbutz said.

Her husband, American-Israeli Gad Haggai, was also killed on Oct. 7 and his body also remains in Gaza, the kibbutz said. His death was confirmed last week.

Weinstein, a mother of four and grandmother of seven, was an English teacher who specialized in helping children with special needs, Kibbutz Nir Oz said.

"For the past few years she has also taught Mindfulness to children and teenagers who suffered from anxiety caused by the ongoing rocket fire from Gaza," the kibbutz said. "‎‏Judy was a poet, entrepreneur, and pursued many initiatives to advance peace in the region."

President Joe Biden said in a statement that he's "devastated" to learn of Weinstein's death.

"We are holding Judith and Gad’s four children, seven grandchildren, and other loved ones close to our hearts," Biden said. "I will never forget what their daughter, and the family members of other Americans held hostage in Gaza, have shared with me. They have been living through hell for weeks. No family should have to endure such an ordeal. And I reaffirm the pledge we have made to all the families of those still held hostage: we will not stop working to bring them home."

Weinstein was the last American woman being held hostage by Hamas who had not been released, according to the Hostage Families Forum.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with representatives of the families of hostages on Thursday and promised them, "We are not giving up."

The families shared their concerns about the conditions of their loved ones and their questions about what will be done to promote their release.

"We are in contact, even at this moment,” Netanyahu said at the beginning of the meeting.

"I cannot detail the status," he said, adding, "We are working to return everyone -- that is our goal."

-ABC News’ Jordana Miller

The Israel Defense Forces has published the findings of its investigation into the accidental killing of three hostages by IDF soldiers in the Shejaiya area of Gaza on Dec. 15.

The IDF Chief of the General Staff concluded that "the IDF failed in its mission to rescue" them and "the entire chain of command feels responsible."

The three hostages -- 28-year-old Yotam Haim, 26-year-old Alon Shamriz and 22-year-old Samer Talalka -- were carrying a stick with a white cloth, and the IDF initially said its forces "mistakenly identified" the men as a threat. Soldiers opened fire, killing two of the men.

The third hostage, who was injured, ran back into the building where all three had emerged from, and someone cried "help" in Hebrew. The battalion commander ordered his troops to stop firing, but, despite the order, another burst was fired, killing the third hostage, according to the IDF.

The investigation “revealed that the command ranks had information about the presence of hostages in the Shejaiya area and even took actions to prevent strikes on locations suspected of having hostages inside," the findings said.

But the probe also revealed that "IDF soldiers involved in the incident experienced complex combat situations in the days preceding the incident and were in a state of high alert for a threat," the findings said. "During the battles, they encountered deceptions by the enemy and attempts to draw them into pits and buildings rigged with explosives."

Days before Dec. 15, IDF soldiers heard cries for help in Hebrew.

"The forces interpreted this as a terrorist deception attempt," the investigation said.

“Some of the forces heard the cries but suspected it was an attempt by the terrorists to draw the forces inside the building to harm them, as had happened in the past," the investigation said.

-ABC News’ Jordana Miller

The Israel Defense Forces said its soldiers found a tunnel shaft and rocket launcher inside a mosque, which was next to a school near Khan Younis in southern Gaza.

The soldiers, who destroyed the tunnel shaft, also found areas to store weapons, the IDF said.

-ABC News’ Jordana Miller