Israel Says It Has Recovered Bodies Of 2 Israeli-American Hostages | rssama.com

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel has recovered nan bodies of 2 Israeli-American hostages taken successful Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack that ignited nan warfare successful nan Gaza Strip.

Israeli strikes overnight and into Thursday meantime killed astatine slightest 22 people, including 3 section journalists who were successful nan courtyard of a hospital, according to wellness officials successful nan territory. The subject said it targeted a militant successful that strike.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said nan remains of Judih Weinstein and Gad Haggai were recovered and returned to Israel successful a typical cognition by nan service and nan Shin Bet soul information agency.

“Together pinch each nan citizens of Israel, my woman and I widen our heartfelt condolences to nan beloved families. Our hearts ache for nan astir unspeakable loss. May their representation beryllium blessed,” he said successful a statement.

Kibbutz Nir Oz announced nan deaths of Weinstein, 70, and Haggai, 72, some of whom had Israeli and U.S. citizenship, successful December 2023. Weinstein was besides a Canadian citizen.

The subject said they were killed successful nan Oct. 7 onslaught and taken into Gaza by nan Mujahideen Brigades, nan mini equipped group that it said had besides abducted and killed Shiri Bibas and her 2 mini children. The service said it recovered nan remains of Weinstein and Haggai overnight into Thursday from Gaza’s confederate metropolis of Khan Younis.

A coach who helped children and a cook who played jazz

The mates were taking an early greeting walk adjacent their location successful Kibbutz Nir Oz connected nan greeting of Oct. 7 erstwhile Hamas militants stormed crossed nan separator and rampaged done respective service bases and farming communities.

In nan early hours of nan morning, Weinstein was capable to telephone emergency services and fto them cognize that some she and her hubby had been changeable and nonstop a connection to her family.

Weinstein was calved successful New York and taught English to children pinch typical needs astatine Kibbutz Nir Oz, a mini organization adjacent nan Gaza border. The kibbutz said she besides taught meditation techniques to children and teenagers who suffered from worry arsenic a consequence of rocket occurrence from Gaza. Haggai was a retired cook and jazz musician.

“My beautiful parents person been freed. We person certainty,” their daughter, Iris Haggai Liniado, wrote successful a Facebook post. She thanked nan Israeli military, nan FBI and nan Israeli and U.S. governments and called for nan merchandise of each nan remaining hostages.

The mates were survived by 2 sons, 2 daughters and 7 grandchildren, nan kibbutz said.

Struggles proceed to get assistance to Palestinians

U.N. efforts to administer assistance suffered a rustle Thursday erstwhile nan Palestinian statement that provides trucks and drivers said it was suspending operations aft gunmen attacked a convoy, sidesplitting a driver.

The Special Transport Association said nan convoy of immoderate 60 trucks was heading into Deir al-Balah successful cardinal Gaza Wednesday evening erstwhile gunmen attacked, sidesplitting 1 driver and wounding 3 others. The relation said it was nan latest successful attacks connected convoys “clearly aimed astatine obstructing” assistance delivery, though it did not opportunity who it believed was down nan attack.

Israel has accused Hamas of stealing assistance and trying to artifact it from reaching Palestinians. Aid workers person said attacks connected U.N. trucks look to beryllium by criminal gangs, immoderate operating wrong show of Israeli troops. The area wherever nan relation described nan onslaught taking spot lies connected nan edges of an Israeli subject zone.

After blocking each nutrient and assistance from entering Gaza for much than 2 months, Israel began allowing a trickle of supplies to participate for nan U.N. respective weeks ago. But nan U.N says it has been incapable to administer overmuch of nan assistance because of Israeli subject restrictions connected movements and because roads that nan subject designates for its trucks to usage are unsafe and susceptible to looters. The blockade pushed Gaza’s organization of much than 2 cardinal to the brink of famine.

Meanwhile, nan Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a chiefly American backstage contractor, resumed nutrient distribution astatine 2 centers adjacent nan confederate metropolis of Gaza connected Thursday. It had halted each distribution nan time before, saying it was discussing greater information measures pinch nan Israeli military.

Near regular shootings person erupted successful nan vicinity of nan hubs, pinch Palestinians reporting Israeli troops opening fire. More than 80 group person been killed and hundreds wounded, according to Gaza infirmary officials. The Israeli subject has said it fired informing shots aliases astatine individuals approaching its troops successful immoderate instances.

GHF said Thursday it has distributed nan balanced of astir 8.5 cardinal meals since its centers began operating connected May 26 — capable for 1 repast a time for conscionable complete a 3rd of Gaza’s population.

Strikes astir Gaza termination 22

Two Israeli airstrikes successful Gaza City connected Thursday day killed 9 people, including a kid and a woman, according to wellness officials. Most were killed erstwhile nan onslaught deed a engaged thoroughfare wherever group were gathered to bargain bags of flour, said 1 witness, Abu Farah.

“We want to bring nutrient to our children. We’re not asking for thing more. We stopped demanding thing other different than food,” he said.

At slightest 10 Palestinians were killed successful Israeli strikes successful Khan Younis overnight, according to Nasser Hospital, which received nan bodies. It was not instantly clear if nan strikes were related to nan betterment mission.

In Gaza City, 3 section reporters were killed and six group were wounded successful a onslaught connected nan courtyard of nan al-Ahli Hospital, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. It did not instantly place nan journalists aliases opportunity which outlets they worked for.

The Israeli subject said it struck an Islamic Jihad militant operating successful nan courtyard. The service says it only targets militants and blames civilian deaths connected Hamas because it is embedded successful populated areas.

Over 180 journalists and media workers person been killed since nan commencement of nan Israel-Hamas war, nan immense mostly of them successful Gaza, according to nan New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists. Israel has said galore of those killed successful its strikes were militants posing arsenic reporters.

Hamas-led militants killed immoderate 1,200 people, mostly civilians, successful nan Oct. 7 onslaught and abducted 251 hostages. They are still holding 56 hostages, astir a 3rd of them believed to beryllium alive, aft astir of nan remainder were released successful ceasefire agreements aliases different deals. Israeli forces person rescued 8 surviving hostages from Gaza and recovered dozens of bodies.

Israel’s subject run has killed much than 54,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to nan Gaza Health Ministry, which does not opportunity really galore of nan dormant were civilians aliases combatants. The violative has destroyed ample parts of Gaza and displaced astir 90% of its organization of astir 2 cardinal Palestinians.

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Melzer reported from Nahariya, Israel and Shurafa from Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip. Associated Press writer Kareem Chehayeb successful Beirut contributed.