Three Israeli hostages killed by Hamas during an attack in October 2023 have been found by Israeli troops in Gaza. The hostages were identified as German-Israeli Shani Louk, a 28-year-old woman named Amit Buskila, and a 56-year-old man named Itzhak Gelerenter.
The Israeli military announced on Friday that its troops had found the bodies of three Israeli hostages who were killed by Hamas during an attack on a music festival near the Gaza border in October 2023. The hostages were identified as 22-year-old German-Israeli Shani Louk, 28-year-old Amit Buskila, and 56-year-old Itzhak Gelerenter.
A photo of Louk's twisted body in the back of a pickup truck had circulated widely, drawing attention to the severity of the attack. The military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, stated that the three hostages were killed while attempting to flee the Nova music festival, where militants had killed hundreds of people.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his sorrow over the deaths, saying, "We will return all of our hostages, both the living and the dead." He did not provide any details about the circumstances surrounding the discovery of the bodies.
The military said that the bodies were discovered overnight, without elaborating on the specific location. Israel has been carrying out operations in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where it believes hostages are being held.
Hamas-led militants had killed approximately 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted around 250 others during the October 2023 attack. About half of the hostages have been released, primarily through prisoner swaps during a weeklong ceasefire in November.
Israel maintains that approximately 100 hostages are still captive in Gaza, along with the remains of around 30 others. The Israeli war in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of more than 35,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials.
Netanyahu has vowed to eliminate Hamas and retrieve all the hostages, but he has made little headway. He is facing pressure to resign, and the U.S. has warned of potential reductions in support due to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Public opinion in Israel is divided between those who advocate for a suspension of hostilities to secure the release of hostages and those who believe that the hostages are an unavoidable cost of eradicating Hamas. Despite mediation efforts by Qatar, the United States, and Egypt, negotiations have made little progress.
The discovery of the hostages' bodies has brought renewed attention to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, as well as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The international community has urged both sides to find a peaceful resolution to the conflict and to prioritize the safety and well-being of civilians.
