Israeli Military Says It Has Recovered The Bodies Of 6 Hostages In A Gaza Operation

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli subject said Tuesday that it recovered nan bodies of six hostages taken successful Hamas’ Oct. 7 onslaught that started nan warfare successful Gaza.

The betterment came arsenic nan United States, Egypt and Qatar are trying to mediate a cease-fire statement betwixt Israel and Hamas that would spot nan merchandise of scores of hostages held by nan militant group.

The subject said successful a connection that its forces recovered nan bodies successful an overnight cognition successful confederate Gaza. It identified nan hostages arsenic Yagev Buchshtab, Alexander Dancyg, Avraham Munder, Yoram Metzger, Nadav Popplewell and Haim Perry, without saying erstwhile aliases really they died.

Five of nan hostages were complete 50 years aged erstwhile they were captured, and 3 had family members who were released during a weeklong cease-fire successful November.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised nan betterment effort and said “our hearts ache for nan unspeakable loss.”

“The State of Israel will proceed to make each effort to return each of our hostages — some live and dead,” he said successful a statement.

Hamas is still believed to beryllium holding astir 110 hostages captured successful nan Oct. 7 attack. Israeli authorities estimate astir a 3rd of them are dead.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is connected his ninth sojourn to nan region since nan commencement of nan war, said Monday that Netanyahu has accepted a proposal to span gaps successful nan cease-fire talks and called connected Hamas to do nan same.

Hamas has accused nan United States of embracing Israeli demands and trying to enforce them connected nan militant group.

Hamas-led militants burst done Israel’s defense connected Oct. 7 and rampaged crossed nan south, sidesplitting immoderate 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking astir 250 group hostage. Over 100 hostages were released successful speech for Palestinians imprisoned successful Israel during a weeklong cease-fire past year.

Israel’s retaliatory violative has killed complete 40,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which does not opportunity really galore were militants. Air and crushed operations person caused wide demolition and forced nan immense mostly of Gaza’s 2.3 cardinal residents to fly their homes.

The mediators person been trying to finalize a connection for a three-phase process successful which Hamas would merchandise each nan hostages successful return for nan merchandise of much Palestinian prisoners, an Israeli withdrawal from nan territory and a lasting truce. But location still look to beryllium wide gaps betwixt nan 2 sides.

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