Israeli military recovers bodies of two hostages taken by Hamas
According to Israeli forces, two bodies were recovered during a special mission in Khan Younis.
The Israeli military has found the bodies of two hostages who were being held by Hamas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday, reported Reuters.
According to Israeli forces, bodies were recovered during a special mission in Khan Younis, a city located in the southern Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu said that the victims were identified as Judi Weinstein-Haggai and her husband, Gad Haggai. He added that the bodies had been brought back to Israel.
According to the Israeli military, they were killed during the October 7 Hamas attack, and their bodies were recently recovered from Khan Younis in a joint operation by the army and the Shin Bet security agency.
“Together with all the citizens of Israel, my wife and I extend our heartfelt condolences to the dear families. Our hearts ache for the most terrible loss. May their memory be blessed,” the Israeli PM said in a statement cited by the Associated Press.
With this recovery, Israel says 56 hostages are still being held by Hamas, and less than half are believed to be alive, the AP report added.
Who were the hostages
Judi Weinstein, 70, and her husband Gad Haggai, 72, were longtime residents of Kibbutz Nir Oz, a small community near the Gaza border. Their deaths were officially announced by the Kibbutz in December 2023.
On the morning of October 7, the couple had gone out for an early walk near their home when Hamas militants crossed the border and launched a brutal assault on several Israeli communities and military bases, reported AP.
In the chaos, Weinstein managed to call emergency services to report that both she and her husband had been shot. She also sent a message to her family.
Weinstein was born in New York and worked as an English teacher for children with special needs. She also taught meditation techniques to children and teenagers coping with stress from frequent rocket attacks. Haggai was a retired chef and jazz musician.
The couple are survived by their four children, two sons and two daughters, and seven grandchildren.
The war between Israel and Hamas began after a deadly attack on October 7, 2023. On that day, gunmen led by Hamas killed 1,200 people in Israel and took 251 others as hostages, according to Israeli figures.
Since then, the fighting has led to heavy losses. Health officials in Gaza say more than 54,000 Palestinians have been killed during the conflict.
