Israel announced on Sunday that it recovered the bodies of two civilians and one soldier who were held hostage in Gaza.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the remains of Ofra Keidar, Yonatan Samerano, and Staff Sergeant Shay Levinson were retrieved in a special operation on Saturday. The three were abducted by Hamas militants more than 20 months ago.
The families of the hostages expressed some relief at the return of the bodies after waiting for over 600 days. They also called on the Israeli government to work toward freeing the remaining 50 hostages held in Gaza.
Hamas took 251 people hostage during its attack on Israel in October 2023 and killed 1,200 people. Israel believes about 30 of the hostages are dead.
Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, urged the “urgent release” of the remaining captives, following recent US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. He said the recovery of the bodies is an important step for peace and security.
Some families of the hostages have protested Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza, arguing that a ceasefire is needed to safely bring home the remaining captives. The fighting resumed in March after Israel rejected a ceasefire agreement.
The conflict has caused heavy losses, with over 55,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, killed in Gaza over the past 20 months.
