According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Israeli forces have recovered the bodies of three hostages from the Gaza Strip. The bodies are said to be those of Shani Luke, Amit Buskila, and Itzhak Gellerenter. The IDF said they were killed on October 7, and their bodies returned to Gaza. Local media reported that a body had been found in a Hamas tunnel. Hamas militants invade Israel, killing approximately 1,200 people in an unprecedented attack. They also took 252 hostages back to Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the news “heartbreaking. We will return all the hostages,  living and dead alike,” he said.

Defence Forces 

The Israeli Defense Forces said in a statement that the bodies were recovered in a nighttime operation. He said he was acting on information obtained from “interrogations of terrorists detained in Gaza.” The three victims were reportedly killed at an intersection near the site of the Nova festival massacre. In southern Israel before their bodies were taken to Gaza. Over 360 people died at the festival. Approximately 125 hostages remain missing, with the remaining hostages freed or rescued. In October, the mother of German-Israeli national Shani Luke said her daughter’s death was confirmed by the Israeli military after part of her skull was discovered. However, it was hoped that Amit Bouskila and Itzhak Gellerenter would still be alive.

Media

Luke’s father, Nissim Luke, told BBC Radio 4’s Today program on Saturday that the family was relieved to be able to bury their “beautiful daughter.”She brought light to the world,” he said. Luke said the images of Shani being led through the streets in a flatbed truck by armed fighters, shared on social media shortly after the October 7 attack, reflect photographs of her, including her smile and carefree demeanor. He added that this is in contrast. Described this as the difference between “cruelty and love.” He was kidnapped on October 7. Mr. Gellerenter is a father and grandfather who came to the Nova Festival hours before the attack began. 

The Hostage Families Forum, an organization that brings together relatives of detainees, said in response to the announcement that they are bowing their heads in deep sadness and heartbreak.” He said the three were killed by “Hamas terrorists” and added: “May their memory be a blessing.” Under a deal reached in November, Hamas released 105 hostages and about 240 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons in exchange for a week-long ceasefire. It is unknown how many of the missing are still alive.

Announcement

Following the Israel Defense Forces’ announcement, the  Hamas militant group said its prisoners would  only be returned under an “honorable exchange agreement for our people.” Long-running talks in Cairo aimed at achieving a ceasefire and further release of hostages are currently stalled. After the October 7 attack, Israel launched an offensive in Gaza that killed more than 35,000 people, most of them civilians, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry. According to the United Nations, approximately 2.2 million Palestinians suffer from chronic food insecurity and are in urgent need of shelter and other assistance.