KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — Israel announced Thursday it had recovered the bodies of two Israeli-American hostages taken during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault, as its ongoing military campaign intensified across the Gaza Strip, killing at least 22 Palestinians, including three journalists.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that the remains of Judith Weinstein, 70, and Gad Haggai, 72, were retrieved in a joint operation by the Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet security agency. The couple, who were both citizens of Israel and the United States — with Weinstein also holding Canadian citizenship — were killed during the initial Hamas incursion and taken into Gaza, Israeli military officials said.
“Together with all the citizens of Israel, my wife and I extend our heartfelt condolences to the dear families,” Netanyahu said. “Our hearts ache for the most terrible loss. May their memory be blessed.”
The couple, longtime residents of Kibbutz Nir Oz, were out for an early morning walk when militants crossed into Israel, launching a surprise attack that claimed 1,200 lives and resulted in the abduction of 251 hostages. Weinstein, a special education teacher born in New York, was known for teaching meditation to children suffering from trauma due to repeated rocket fire from Gaza. Haggai, a retired chef and jazz musician, was beloved in his community for his warmth and artistry.
The military said the Mujahideen Brigades, a small Palestinian militant faction, was responsible for taking the couple’s bodies, as well as for the abduction and killing of Shiri Bibas and her two children. Weinstein and Haggai’s remains were recovered from the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis in an overnight operation.
Their daughter, Iris Haggai Liniado, expressed gratitude to the Israeli military, the U.S. and Israeli governments, and the FBI. “My beautiful parents have been freed. We have certainty,” she wrote in a Facebook post. The kibbutz reported the couple is survived by four children and seven grandchildren.
Amid the recovery mission, Israeli strikes across Gaza claimed the lives of at least 22 people. Two airstrikes in Gaza City killed nine, including a child and a woman, according to health officials. Witnesses said one strike hit a crowded area where residents were lining up for flour. “We want to bring food to our children,” said Abu Farah, a local resident. “We’re not asking for anything more.”
In Khan Younis, another 10 Palestinians were killed overnight. It was not clear whether the strikes were directly connected to the hostage recovery operation.
In a separate incident, three journalists were killed in a strike on the courtyard of al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, along with six other individuals who were wounded. The Israeli military said the strike targeted a member of Islamic Jihad. Gaza’s Health Ministry did not immediately name the journalists.
The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists reported that more than 180 journalists and media workers have been killed in the conflict, most of them in Gaza. Israel maintains that many of those killed were combatants using press credentials as cover.
Efforts to distribute humanitarian aid in Gaza faced a new setback after a deadly attack on a convoy. The Palestinian-run Special Transport Association said it was suspending operations following a gunman assault that killed a driver and wounded three others as the convoy moved toward Deir al-Balah.
Aid distribution in Gaza has become increasingly dangerous, with armed attacks on convoys mounting. While Israel accuses Hamas of stealing and obstructing aid deliveries, some workers say criminal gangs operating near Israeli-controlled zones are responsible. The area of the latest attack borders an Israeli military buffer zone.
The United Nations has struggled to distribute supplies despite a limited resumption of aid flows in recent weeks. Routes remain perilous, and access is constrained by Israeli military restrictions, according to U.N. officials. The prolonged blockade has brought Gaza’s population of more than 2 million to the edge of famine.
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a U.S.-based contractor, resumed food distribution on Thursday after halting activity a day earlier to review safety protocols. GHF reported distributing the equivalent of 8.5 million meals since May 26, enough to provide one daily meal to over one-third of Gaza’s population.
Meanwhile, near-daily shootings have been reported at food distribution sites. Palestinians accuse Israeli troops of firing on civilians, while the Israeli military said its forces only fire warning shots or engage when people approach soldiers. Gaza hospitals report more than 80 deaths and hundreds of injuries at distribution points.
Since October 7, Israel has carried out a relentless air and ground campaign against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, over 54,000 Palestinians — mostly women and children — have been killed, though the agency does not distinguish between civilians and combatants.
The offensive has devastated the enclave, leveling entire neighborhoods and displacing an estimated 90% of Gaza’s population.
Of the 251 hostages taken during Hamas’ initial attack, 56 remain in captivity, about a third of whom are believed to be alive. Israel has rescued eight living hostages and recovered numerous bodies, including Weinstein and Haggai.
As the conflict grinds on with no clear end in sight, international calls for a ceasefire have grown louder, though diplomatic efforts remain stalled.
