Bodies of three more Oct 7 hostages recovered overnight from Gaza, says Israeli Army
Israel-Hamas war
Israeli forces recovered the bodies of three additional hostages who were killed during the October 7 attack in Gaza, the army announced on Friday (May 24). The victims—Hanan Yablonka, Michel Nisenbaum, and Orion Hernandez—were identified, and their families have been informed, reported AFP. They were killed at the Mefalsim intersection on the day of the attack, with their bodies subsequently taken to Gaza.
During the October 7 attack, terrorists affiliated with Hamas killed approximately 1,200 people, predominantly civilians, and abducted about 250 others. Since then, roughly half of the hostages have been released, primarily through exchanges for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel during a weeklong ceasefire in November, 2023. Israel says that approximately 100 hostages still remain in Gaza, as also the bodies of around 30 others. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to uproot Hamas and secure the release of all hostages, but has encountered minimal success. On Friday (May 24), Netanyahu spoke about Israel's obligation to do everything possible to bring back those abducted, whether dead or alive. The International Court of Justice is expected to deliver a ruling on South Africa's urgent plea to halt Israel's operations on Friday afternoon. Israel is unlikely to comply with any such order, potentially increasing pressure on the country, already facing isolation. Also read | Gaza war: Israel will stop work of Spanish consulate for Palestinians
Two emerging camps
Israelis are divided into two main factions regarding the hostages: one advocating for a ceasefire and the release of hostages, while the other sees their captivity as a regrettable necessity in the campaign against Hamas. Despite intermittent mediation efforts by Qatar, the United States, and Egypt, negotiations have yielded limited results. Also watch | French ships deliver humanitarian aid to US barge off Gaza coast
Earlier this week, a group representing hostage families released new video footage showing Hamas' capture of five female Israeli soldiers near the Gaza border on October 7. The footage showed the soldiers injured and bleeding, with one scene showing a terrorist commenting on one of the women's appearance. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.
(With inputs from agencies)