Israel says its forces have recovered the bodies of six hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
The bodies were discovered in an underground tunnel in the Rafah area on Saturday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement.
The IDF named the hostages as Carmel Gait, Eden Yerushami, Hersh Goldberg-Poulin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Salusi and Ori Dani Sergeant No.
Spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said an initial assessment was that they were “brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists shortly before we reached them.”
After the death of US citizen Goldberg Pollin was confirmed, US President Joe Biden said he was “shocked and outraged” by the news.
The IDF said in a statement on Sunday morning that the body had been “returned to Israeli territory.”
“They were all taken hostage on October 7 [2023] and was killed by the Hamas terrorist organization in the Gaza Strip.
The statement added that their families have been notified.
Meanwhile, President Biden said in a statement that “Hirsh was one of the innocent people who was brutally attacked while attending a peace music festival in Israel on October 7.”
“He lost his arm while helping friends and strangers alike during the brutal massacre by Hamas. He had just turned 23. He planned to travel the world.
“I got to know his parents, Jon and Rachel. They were brave, wise, and determined, even as they endured the unimaginable,” Mr. Biden said.
On October 7, an unprecedented attack occurred in southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 other people hostage. The Israeli military launched an operation to destroy Hamas in Gaza.
Since then, more than 40,530 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry.
U.S., Egyptian and Qatari mediators are trying to reach a ceasefire that would see Hamas release the 97 hostages still being held, at least 27 of whom are presumed dead, in exchange for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
