In a significant development, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have recovered the bodies of five Israeli hostages from a tunnel in Gaza’s Khan Younis. The tunnel was located within an area designated as a humanitarian zone by Israel. The recovery operation, which took place on Wednesday, was conducted by IDF special forces in conjunction with the Shin Bet security agency.
The hostages, identified as Ravid Katz, 51, Oren Goldin, 33, Maya Goren, 56, Sgt. Kiril Brodski, 19, and Staff Sgt. Tomer Yaakov Ahimas, 20, were all previously declared dead by the IDF. They were killed during the October 7 attack and their bodies were subsequently taken into Gaza by Hamas-led terrorists. The operation was made possible through recent intelligence, including information obtained from interrogations of detained terrorists in Gaza.
In preparation for the mission, the IDF adjusted the designated humanitarian zone in Khan Younis and ordered Palestinian civilians in the vicinity to temporarily evacuate. The tunnel, where the bodies were found, was approximately 200 meters long and 20 meters deep, featuring several rooms. It took IDF combat engineers several hours to reach the tunnel.
During the operation, a tragic incident occurred where Staff Sgt. Noam Douek, 19, of the 401st Armored Brigade’s 9th Battalion, died, and two other soldiers were seriously injured. The IDF suspects that toxic fumes from a generator in the room where the soldiers were sleeping caused the fatalities and injuries. This incident is currently under investigation by the Military Police.
The bodies of the hostages were brought back to Israel on Wednesday afternoon for identification, and their families have been notified. This discovery brings the total number of confirmed hostages in Gaza to 111, including the remains of 39 individuals confirmed dead by the IDF.
The operation highlights the ongoing complexities and dangers faced by the IDF in their efforts to recover hostages and secure the region amidst the ongoing conflict.
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