An Italian peace activist has been slain in the Gaza Strip following his abduction by Palestinian militants. The body of Vittorio Arrigoni was found shortly after his captors posted video of him blindfolded and bloodied. They had vowed to execute him unless their group’s leader was freed from custody by Gaza’s Hamas-led government. Arrigoni had lived in Gaza since 2008 after arriving on a boat carrying humanitarian aid. A friend of Arrigoni’s mourned his death.

Friend: “Why? What did he do? This is a man who came here to break the siege on Gaza. Why? What did he do? He came from across the world, left his country and family and his entire life, and came here to break the siege. And we kill him? Why? What is the reason?”