Heartbreaking Returns: Israel Recovers Hostage Bodies in Gaza

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Thursday that the bodies of two hostages held in the Gaza Strip have been recovered. The victims, an Israeli American named Gad Haggai and Judih Weinstein, who held Israeli, American, and Canadian citizenship, were killed during the October 7 Hamas incursion into southern Israel that sparked the ongoing conflict.

This tragic incident led to the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals, primarily civilians, and resulted in 251 hostages being taken. The ensuing conflict, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-governed Gaza, has claimed over 54,000 Palestinian lives, largely comprising women and children. The ministry, however, does not separate civilians from combatants in its reports.

Netanyahu provided specific details about the hostages: 251 were captured on October 7, 2023; four had been taken prior to the attack, including the remains of two soldiers from 2014. Of the 148 hostages released through various deals, 43 bodies have been retrieved, and eight have been rescued alive. Fifty-six remain in captivity, with Israel suspecting 33 have perished. Among the hostages in captivity are five non-Israelis, three confirmed dead.

(With inputs from agencies.)