The Israeli military on Wednesday said that a February strike on Khan Younis in southern Gaza may have led Hamas militants to execute six hostages.

The deaths of six Israeli hostages whose bodies were recovered from Gaza in August were probably linked to an Israeli airstrike against Hamas near where they were being held, the Israeli military said on Wednesday.

The Israeli military shed light Wednesday on the circumstances surrounding the deaths early this year of six male hostages who were found shot in a Gaza tunnel—and whose captors were also found dead at their side.

Israeli tanks pushed into northern parts of the Khan Younis area in the south of the Gaza Strip on Wednesday and Palestinian medics said further Israeli airstrikes had killed at least 47 people across the enclave.