The Israeli military said on Tuesday it retrieved the bodies of six hostages from Gaza’s southern district of Khan Yunis in a joint operation with internal security agency Shin Bet.
The hostages were Yagev Buchshtab, Alexander Dancyg, Yoram Metzger, Nadav Popplewell, Chaim Perry, previously announced dead, and Avraham Munder, whose kibbutz of Nir Oz near Gaza announced his death earlier Tuesday.
Yagev Buchshtab, Alexander Dancyg, Avraham Munder, Yoram Metzger, Nadav Popplewell and Haim Perry’s bodies were rescued from the Khan Yunis area in Gaza. They were abducted by Hamas on Oct. 7.The rescue operation was enabled by precise intelligence from the ISA, intelligence… pic.twitter.com/SNIOlxHH1G
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 20, 2024
Dancyg and Buchshtav had been previously confirmed dead by the IDF in late July, while Peri, Metzger, and Popplewell were declared dead by the army in early June. The five were believed to have been killed in Khan Younis in early 2024, although the causes of death were unknown. Munder had not been previously declared dead by the IDF, although the army had concerns for his well-being, according to The Times Of Israel.
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said that it will continue to investigate the causes of death, including the possibility that the hostages were killed by Israeli fire. Accurate intelligence allowed troops from the 98th Division and the Shin Bet security agency to reach a tunnel in Khan Younis and recover the bodies amid a new offensive in the area.
“The rescue operation was enabled by precise intelligence from the ISA, intelligence units and the IDF Intelligence Directorate Hostage Headquarters. We will continue to operate in order to return all of the remaining hostages back home. Our hearts are with the families of these victims of Hamas’ terrorism,” the IDF said in a post on X.
Munder, Dancyg, Peri, and Metzger were abducted by Hamas from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7, while Buchshtav and Popplewell were taken hostage from Kibbutz Nirim. It is now believed that 105 of the 251 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza, including the bodies of 34 confirmed dead by the IDF. During a weeklong truce in late November, Hamas released 105 civilians, and four hostages were released earlier.
Seven hostages have been rescued alive by troops, and the bodies of 30 hostages have been recovered, including three mistakenly killed by the military as they tried to escape their captors. Hamas is also holding two Israeli civilians who entered the Strip in 2014 and 2015, as well as the bodies of two IDF soldiers killed in 2014.
(With agency inputs)
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