In a nighttime operation, the army repatriated hostages who had been killed to Israel. The relatives of the remaining hostages are pinning their hopes on a deal.
The Israeli army has brought the bodies of six hostages from the Gaza Strip to Israel. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant (Likud) described the operation, which took place overnight in Khan Younis, as "dangerous and daring." He said it demonstrated the "operational freedom" that Israel had achieved in Gaza.
The hostages killed were Jagev Buchstab (35 years old), Alex Danzig (75), Joram Metzger (80), Avraham Munder (78), Chaim Peri (79) and Nadav Poppelwell (51). They were all still alive when the terrorist organization Hamas abducted them to the Gaza Strip on October 7.
In June and July, however, the army confirmed the deaths of five of the now-rescued hostages. Munder's fate alone remained unclear. The army had suspected he was no longer alive. The wives of Joram Metzger and Jagev Buchstab were released from captivity in November, as was Popplewell's mother.
Experts are now investigating the causes of death. They are not ruling out the possibility that the hostages were killed by army fire. Hamas claimed in March that Buchstab died from a lack of food and medicine, and that Danzig died from Israeli fire.
Hoping for the hostage deal
Several politicians expressed their condolences to the families. President Yitzhak Herzog emphasized that Israel must do everything possible to bring all hostages back – “the living into the embrace of their families, the dead to their burial.”.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Likud) declared: "Our hearts ach at this terrible loss." He thanked the soldiers for their courageous action. Israel will do everything possible to bring all hostages back.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) also urged the return of the hostages. "Day by day we are losing more and more hostages. We must make a deal now." He offered the government a "political safety net." "We are giving everything we can as the opposition."
There are now 109 hostages remaining in the Gaza Strip. Their relatives emphasized that only a deal can bring them back. (Israelnetz)
