Offensive in Gaza: Israel harbors the remains of two hostages

The corpses of two hostages were recovered during a military operation in southern Gaza Strip. As British media report, citing the Israeli military and the security service Shin Bet, are the remains of two Israeli-American hostages. The 70-year-old Judy Weinstein-Haggai and the 72-year-old Gadi Haggai are said to have been killed in the Kibbutz Nir OZ during the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his condolences to the relatives and survivors. According to media reports, the couple had four children and seven grandchildren. Netanyahu also confirmed that all hostages captured by Hamas to bring back to Israel.

The forum of the hostage families announced: “The return of Judi and Gad is painful and heartbreaking, but it also relieves our uncertainty. Your return reminds us all that it is the duty of the state to bring all hostages home so that we, the families, together with the entire Israeli people, can begin the process of healing and recovery.” The government had to do everything necessary to reach an agreement with the Islamist Hamas, “which enables the return of all 56 remaining hostages – the living for rehabilitation and the deceased to the funeral”.

There are currently 56 hostage hostage. However, the Israeli authorities estimate that only half of them live. With three other kidnapped people, it is unclear whether they are still alive. In addition, the remains of 33 deported people are located in the sealed area with countless underground tunnel systems.

According to Israeli information on October 7, 2023, 1200 people were killed in the surprising attack of the radical Islamic Hamas on October 7, 2023. Several have been released since then, and cores have also been handed over, some hostages were freed by soldiers.

Since then, Israel has massively military in the Palestinian area in response to the Hamas robbery. According to the Ministry of Health controlled by the Hamas, which cannot be checked independently, more than 54,400 people have so far been killed.