The Israeli army finds the dead bodies of three hostages in Gaza

2024-05-18 08:38:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

The Israeli military said on Friday it had found the bodies of three Israeli hostages killed in Gaza on October 7 by Hamas - the terrorist group designated by the United States and the European Union.

The bodies found are those of 22-year-old Shani Louk, 28-year-old Amit Buskila, and 56-year-old Itzhak Gelerenter.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they were killed on October 7 in southern Israel while fleeing the Nova music festival, where Hamas militants killed hundreds of people, and that their bodies were taken to the Gaza Strip.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that "we will return all our hostages, living and dead."

The IDF said their bodies were found overnight, but did not say exactly where in Gaza they were found.

In recent weeks, the Israeli army has been operating in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah. The IDF says it has indications that hostages are being held in Rafah.

Hamas fighters killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapped around 250 others during the October 7 attack.

About half of the hostages have been released, most in exchange for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel, during a week-long ceasefire in November.

Israel says around 100 hostages are still being held in Gaza, along with the bodies of around 30 others.

Israel's war on Gaza since October 7 has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials.

Netanyahu has vowed to wipe out Hamas and return all hostages, but he has made little progress on that front. He faces pressure to resign, while the United States has threatened to cut aid because of the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

Israelis are divided into two camps: those who want the government to stop the war and release the hostages, and others who think the hostages are an unfortunate price to pay for destroying Hamas.

Negotiations for a ceasefire and the release of the hostages, brokered by Qatar, the US and Egypt, have not borne fruit so far. / REL