The families of two Israeli soldiers being held by Lebanon's Hizballah terrorist militia rejected a report in a Lebanese newspaper at the weekend that suggested one of the abducted reservists had died in captivity.

Miki Goldwasser, mother of hostage Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reservist Ehud Goldwasser, told Israel Radio that the Lebanese report was “a cynical attempt to play with the emotions of the bereaved families.”

Lebanon's An Nahar daily newspaper reported in its weekend edition that “security agencies understand that one of the two prisoners is still alive and the second has passed away.” The report did not elaborate.

An Israeli government official told The Jerusalem Post that Jerusalem “doesn't respond to reports made in the Lebanese media,” and would continue to operate under the assumption that both Goldwasser and Eldad Regev are alive.