Written By Lisa Murimi
The Israeli military has announced the recovery of the bodies of five Israelis taken hostage during Hamas’s attack on southern Israel on October 7.
Among the deceased are kindergarten teacher Maya Goren and soldiers Major Ravid Aryeh Katz, Master Sergeant Oren Goldin, Staff Sergeant Tomer Ahimas, and Sergeant Kiril Brodski.
The military determined that Ms. Goren was murdered in captivity, while the soldiers were killed in combat on October 7, with their bodies subsequently abducted.
The operation to recover the bodies took place in the Khan Younis area of southern Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing the US Congress, mentioned ongoing efforts to secure the release of the remaining hostages but provided no details on a potential deal with Hamas.
His speech was met with frustration by hostages’ families and opposition leaders, who criticized the lack of concrete assurances.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) confirmed the recovery operation and vowed to continue efforts to rescue the remaining hostages.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum praised the operation and called for urgent negotiations to secure the release of the 115 remaining hostages.
As Israel continues its military campaign in Gaza, the UN reports that over 150,000 people have been displaced from Khan Younis.
The conflict, which began in response to Hamas’s attack, has resulted in the deaths of over 39,170 people in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
