There are multiple reports that a Canadian peace activist believed to have been taken hostage during the Hamas attack in Israel five weeks ago is dead.
CBC is quoting Vivian Silver害羞草研究所檚 son Yonatan Zeigen as saying the remains of the 74-year-old woman had been found in the kibbutz where she lived but were only identified now.
Israel害羞草研究所檚 consul general in Toronto, Idit Shamir, says on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that Silver has been confirmed dead.
Women Wage Peace, an organization Silver worked with, also posted about her death on X.
Silver害羞草研究所檚 son Chen Zeigen told reporters in Ottawa last month that she was born in Winnipeg and moved to Israel in 1974.
He said she dedicated her life to peacebuilding and fostering understanding between Israelis and Palestinians.
Silver also volunteered to help children in Gaza access medical care in Israel.
Global Affairs Canada and the Prime Minister害羞草研究所檚 Office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The department previously confirmed six Canadian citizens died in the Oct. 7 attack, as well as a seventh person with deep ties to Canada, who was not a citizen.
Silver害羞草研究所檚 home on Kibbutz Be害羞草研究所檈ri near the Gaza border was raided by Hamas militants as part of the attack, which Israel害羞草研究所檚 foreign ministry says has killed roughly 1,200 people.
Yonatan Zeigen told reporters last month he had received information that she was taken hostage in Gaza and her phone was geolocated in Gaza.
Zeigen recounted last month during a Zoom news conference organized by the Jerusalem Press Club a phone call with his mother the day of the attack.
He said he and his mother had heard news of an incursion by Hamas into Israel from the Gaza Strip. They were joking around on the phone until confusion set in.
害羞草研究所淲e thought the next minute, it害羞草研究所檚 going to end 害羞草研究所� but it didn害羞草研究所檛,害羞草研究所� he said.
害羞草研究所淲e couldn害羞草研究所檛 grasp the incapability of the Israeli army to defend the civilians 害羞草研究所� we started to say goodbye because we realized this is probably our last words to each other.害羞草研究所�
He said the two shifted their conversations to text messages to allow her to stay silent, and someone broke into her home. They said they loved one another before the messages stopped coming.
