The 121 hostages kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 are believed to be in Gaza, says Israel. (File)
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) recovered bodies of three hostages held by Hamas from the besieged Gaza Strip. Hanan Yablonka, Michel Nisenbaum and Orion Hernandez were "murdered" during Hamas' October 7 attacks on Israel. Their bodies were taken to Gaza by Hamas "terrorists", according to the Israeli army.
"Hanan Yablonka, Michel Nisenbaum, and Orion Hernandez were murdered during the October 7 Massacre and were abducted to Gaza by Hamas terrorists," the Israeli army said on social media platform X.
The bodies of the three hostages were rescued in a joint IDF and Israeli Security Agency operation In Jabaliya, a city in Palestine.
The Missing Families Forum issued a statement following the news urging the Israeli government to bring all the "murdered hostages" back to Israel, according to the Times Of Israel.
"The sorrowful return of Michel, Hanan, and Orion is another heartbreak for the 125 families of the hostages, who share the pain, sorrow, and endless worry. Their return for burial provides important closure for the family members, and efforts must be made to bring all the murdered hostages back to Israel," the forum said in a statement.
"The recovery of their bodies is a silent but resolute reminder that the State of Israel is obligated to immediately dispatch negotiation teams with a clear demand to bring about a deal that will swiftly return all the hostages home: the living for rehabilitation and the murdered for burial," the statement added.
The 121 hostages kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 are believed to be in Gaza, says Israel. The deaths of 37 Hamas-held hostages have been confirmed by the IDF.
Israel's retaliatory offensive against Hamas following the October 7 incident has led to around 35,386 deaths in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
"We will continue operating to bring all of our hostages back home. May their memory be a blessing," said the Israeli army on X.