For months, international mediators and Israel have been trying to free the remaining hostages from Gaza. But for some, any rescue comes too late.
Israel’s army says it has recovered the bodies of six hostages in the Gaza Strip. Their dead bodies were found in the town of Khan Yunis in the south of the coastal region on Tuesday night, the military said. The families of the six men have been informed. All of those recovered had previously been declared dead.
Most recently, Avraham Munder’s kibbutz announced on Tuesday morning that the 79-year-old had been killed. In addition to him, the bodies of Jagev Buchschtab, Joram Metzger, Nadav Popplewell and Chaim Perry were repatriated, according to the army.
Among the bodies now found is Alexander Dancyg, who was declared dead in July. The Polish-Israeli dual citizen worked at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial in Jerusalem. Released hostages reported that the historian had given them history lessons while in captivity.
More than 100 hostages still suspected in Gaza
According to media reports, five of the men are between 35 and 80 years old. They were all alive when they were kidnapped. According to a freed hostage, the six men were held in a tunnel after being kidnapped by Palestinian groups on October 7.
According to Israeli figures, Hamas now has 109 hostages in its power, many of whom are probably no longer alive.
Negotiations on ceasefire in Gaza Strip
US Secretary of State Blinken is currently trying to reach an agreement in the Middle East on a ceasefire in the Gaza war and the release of the kidnapped people. For the first time in a long time, there is hope. Israel has accepted the latest US-backed ceasefire proposal, Blinken said at a press conference on Monday. Now it is up to Hamas to agree to the proposal.
Meanwhile, Blinken landed in the coastal town of Al-Alamain in Egypt on Tuesday for further talks. According to the state-affiliated TV station Al-Kahira News, a meeting with Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdel-Atti was planned.
On October 7 last year, Palestinian terrorists kidnapped a total of 253 people from Israel to the coastal area. Some of them were released through a prisoner exchange, and a few hostages were freed by the Israeli army – even at high cost to the Palestinian civilian population in these military operations, for which Israel has been internationally criticized.
Note: This post has been updated.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
