TEL AVIV (BN24) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Saturday that the bodies of three hostages — including an Israeli soldier and two civilians — were recovered in the Gaza Strip during an ongoing military operation, as Israel presses forward with its dual campaign against Hamas and Iran.
The remains of Yonatan Samrano, Ofra Keidar, and Staff Sgt. Shai Levinson were retrieved by Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and internal security agency Shin Bet, marking a grim but significant development in Israel’s continued efforts to bring home both living and fallen hostages from the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.
“I thank our commanders and fighters for a successful operation, for their determination and courage,” Netanyahu said in a statement. “We will not rest until we return all of our abductees home — both the living and the dead.”
The IDF did not disclose the exact location in Gaza where the remains were found, but confirmed the operation was conducted on Saturday. The retrieval brings the total number of hostages’ bodies recovered this month to eight.
Ofra Keidar, 71, was murdered during the October 7 Hamas assault on an Israeli kibbutz. Her body was taken into Gaza by militants.
Staff Sgt. Shai Levinson, 19, was killed in combat on the morning of the attack while engaging with Hamas gunmen. The IDF called his actions heroic, underscoring his sacrifice in the earliest hours of the war.
Yonatan “Yonati” Samrano, who would have turned 23 on Saturday — the day his body was recovered — was captured during the Hamas incursion. His father, Kobi Samrano, shared the news on Instagram: “Yesterday was Yonati’s Hebrew birthday. On the very day he was born, our Yonati was rescued in a heroic operation by the brave soldiers of the IDF and the Shin Bet.”
In a statement, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents relatives of those still held in Gaza, said:
“Our hearts are with the Keidar, Samrano, and Levinson families today. Alongside the grief and pain, their return provides some comfort to the families who have waited in agony, uncertainty, and doubt for 625 days.”
The group added that amid recent military successes against Iran, the continued return of hostages must remain Israel’s central priority. “There will be no victory until the last hostage returns.”
The three hostages were among 251 people taken captive during Hamas’s October 7 cross-border assault, which also left approximately 1,200 people dead in Israel. In response, Israel launched a sweeping military campaign in Gaza.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 54,677 Palestinians have been killed in the ensuing conflict, which has devastated the enclave and displaced hundreds of thousands.
The Israeli military believes 54 hostages remain in captivity, including 31 presumed dead.
As Netanyahu faces pressure both domestically and internationally, the recovery of hostages — whether alive or deceased — continues to serve as a key pillar of Israel’s war objectives, alongside degrading Hamas’s military infrastructure and confronting Iran’s regional influence.
