TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — On Sunday, the Israeli military announced that it had recovered the remains of three hostages who were held in the Gaza Strip. The recovered remains were identified as those of Yonatan Samerano, 21; Ofra Keidar, 70; and Shay Levinson, 19. All three individuals were killed during the attack carried out by Hamas on October 7, 2023, which marked the beginning of the ongoing conflict. The militant group is currently holding 50 hostages, with less than half of them believed to be alive.
The military did not share any details about the recovery operation, leaving it unclear whether recent airstrikes were connected to the recovery efforts. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated, "The campaign to return the hostages continues consistently and is happening alongside the campaign against Iran." Kobi Samerano shared on Facebook that his son’s remains were returned on what would have been Yonatan's 23rd birthday, adding an emotional dimension to the situation.
Since the October 7 attack, which left approximately 1,200 people dead, primarily civilians, and saw 251 individuals abducted, Israel has engaged in a significant retaliatory offensive. This offensive is reported to have resulted in the deaths of over 55,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. Notably, the ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its casualty reports. The ongoing violence continues as Israeli airstrikes have reportedly killed four Palestinians in a strike on the densely populated Nuseirat refugee camp while leaving an additional 22 wounded as they awaited humanitarian aid.
Palestinian witnesses and health officials have reported that Israeli forces have frequently opened fire on crowds seeking essential food supplies, leading to hundreds of casualties in recent weeks. The military, however, has stated that it shot warning shots at people it deemed suspiciously close to its forces.
In another humanitarian development, World Central Kitchen, a charity led by celebrity chef José Andrés, announced it had resumed distributing hot meals in Gaza for the first time in six weeks. This resumption follows the easing of Israel's blockade last month amid growing concerns about potential famine in the region.
The events of October 7 and Israel's subsequent military actions have led to significant regional implications, including a surprise attack by Israel on Iran last week. The United States also engaged in the conflict with strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites overnight.
The Hostages Families Forum, representing the families of the captives, has consistently urged for negotiations to secure the release of the remaining hostages. The organization emphasized that recovering the remaining 50 hostages is crucial for achieving any form of victory in the conflict. Hamas has indicated that it would only release the hostages in exchange for more Palestinian prisoners, a sustained ceasefire, and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza—a deal Prime Minister Netanyahu has dismissed, affirming that Israel will maintain its military operations until all hostages are returned, and Hamas is either defeated or undergoes disarmament.
Despite efforts from the United States, Qatar, and Egypt to broker a new ceasefire and facilitate hostage releases after the cessation of a truce in March, progress appears limited as Israel escalates its air and ground offensive in Gaza.
Magdy reported from Cairo.
