The Israeli military announced that it recovered the bodies of six hostages taken by Hamas during the October 7 attack, which triggered the ongoing conflict in Gaza, AP News reports.
The operation took place overnight in southern Gaza, but the military did not specify when or how the hostages died. The hostages, identified as Chaim Perry, 80, Yoram Metzger, 80, Avraham Munder, 79, Alexander Dancyg, 76, Nadav Popplewell, 51, and Yagev Buchshtav, 35, had been captured alive. Some of their family members had been released during a cease-fire in November. This development is a setback for Hamas, which had hoped to exchange hostages for Palestinian prisoners and a cease-fire, and increases pressure on Israel to secure the release of the remaining 110 hostages believed to be held by Hamas.
The incident comes as US and Arab mediators work to advance a ceasefire agreement and the release of hostages, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken engaging in talks in the region. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes continue, including one that killed at least 10 people in a school sheltering civilians in Gaza City.
