TEL AVIV – The Israeli Defense Forces have retrieved the bodies of three hostages from the Gaza Strip. They were identified as Yonatan Samerano, aged 21; Ofra Keidar, aged 70; and Shay Levinson, aged 19.

All three individuals were killed during the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which triggered the current conflict. The militant faction is still detaining 50 hostages, with less than half presumed to be alive.

Kobi Samerano said in a Facebook post that his son’s remains were returned on what would have been Yonatan’s 23rd birthday.

“The operation to retrieve the hostages is ongoing and is being conducted alongside the efforts against Iran,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated.

Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 people in the Oct. 7 attack. More than half the hostages have been returned in ceasefire agreements or other deals, eight have been rescued alive and Israeli forces have recovered dozens of bodies.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed over 55,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which has said that women and children make up more than half of the dead. It does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.

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