Six bodies of hostages recovered from Gaza, Israeli military confirms

20 August 2024, 11:39

The Israeli military says it has recovered the bodies of six hostages taken by Hamas in the October 7 attacks.

A statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the bodies of Yagev Buchshtab, Alexander Dancyg, Avraham Munder, Haim Perry, Yoram Metzger and British-Israeli Nadav Popplewell were all recovered from the Khan Younis area on Monday.

The retrieval of the hostage's bodies came ahead of the deaths of 10 Palestinians, as confirmed by the IDF on Tuesday, following air strikes on a school in Gaza.

It comes as the US Secretary of State arrived in Israel on Monday as part of the latest efforts to secure a ceasefire deal in Gaza.

The fatal attacks on the Nova Music Festival marked the start of the Gaza war, with more than 40,000 people estimated to have now died.

The recovery came as the United States, Egypt and Qatar are trying to mediate a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas which would see the release of scores of hostages held by the militant group.

The military said in a statement that its forces recovered the bodies in an overnight operation in southern Gaza.

Further talks aimed at securing a ceasefire are due to take place today, as international forces attempt to broker a deal.

It said it had identified the remains of Haim Perry, 80, Yoram Metzger, 80, Avraham Munder, 79, Alexander Dancyg, 76, Nadav Popplewell, 51, and Yagev Buchshtav, 35.

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Four had family members who were released during a week-long ceasefire in November.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the recovery effort and said "our hearts ache for the terrible loss".

Defence officials say were found during an overnight operation in southern Gaza.

Jotam Confino - a reporter in Jerusalem - says the latest development could affect the negotiations.

Anthony Blinken held talks Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday.

He warned that now is probably "the best and maybe last chance to reach a ceasefire deal" in Gaza.