NewsIsraeli military says it recovered bodies of 6 hostages in Gaza operation

Israeli military says it recovered bodies of 6 hostages in Gaza operation

The Israeli military said Tuesday that it recovered the bodies of six hostages taken in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that started the war in Gaza.

The recovery came as the United States, Egypt and Qatar are trying to mediate a cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas that would see the release of scores of hostages held by the militant group.

The military said in a statement that its forces recovered the bodies in an overnight operation in southern Gaza.

(Top, L-R) Alexander Dancyg, Yagev Buchshtab and Nadav Popplewell (Bottom L-R) Yoram Metzger, Avraham Munder and Haim Perry.

(Top L-R) Alexander Dancyg, Yagev Buchshtab and Nadav Popplewell (Bottom L-R) Yoram Metzger, Avraham Munder and Haim Perry.

It identified the hostages as Yagev Buchshtab, Alexander Dancyg, Avraham Munder, Yoram Metzger, Nadav Popplewell and Haim Perry, without saying when or how they died.

Five of the hostages were over 50 years old when they were captured, and three had family members who were released during a weeklong cease-fire in November.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the recovery effort and said “our hearts ache for the terrible loss.”

“The State of Israel will continue to make every effort to return all of our hostages — both alive and dead,” he said in a statement.

Hamas is still believed to be holding around 110 hostages captured in the Oct. 7 attack. Israeli authorities estimate around a third of them are dead.

An Israeli military convoy moves inside the Gaza Strip, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, as seen from Israel, August 14, 2024.

An Israeli military convoy moves inside the Gaza Strip, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, as seen from Israel, on Aug. 14, 2024. REUTERS

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is on his ninth visit to the region since the start of the war, said Monday that Netanyahu has accepted a proposal to bridge gaps in the cease-fire talks and called on Hamas to do the same.

Hamas has accused the United States of embracing Israeli demands and trying to impose them on the militant group.

Hamas-led militants burst through Israel’s defense on Oct. 7 and rampaged across the south, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage.

Supporters of hostages who were kidnapped during the deadly October 7 attack, demand their immediate release, during a protest outside a press event attended by U.S. Secretary of State Blinken, in Tel Aviv, Israel, August 19, 2024.

Supporters of hostages who were kidnapped during the deadly October 7 attack demand their immediate release during a protest outside a press event attended by US Secretary of State Blinken in Tel Aviv, Israel, August 19, 2024. REUTERS

Over 100 hostages were released in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel during a weeklong cease-fire last year.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not say how many were militants.

Air and ground operations have caused widespread destruction and forced the vast majority of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents to flee their homes.

The mediators have been trying to finalize a proposal for a three-phase process in which Hamas would release all the hostages in return for the release of more Palestinian prisoners, an Israeli withdrawal from the territory and a lasting truce.

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