On Wednesday, Israeli forces recovered the bodies of five hostages who were killed during the Hamas attack on October 7 and had been held in Gaza since then. The Israeli military reported that the bodies were found in the Khan Younis area of southern Gaza, where recent raids have been conducted.
Among the deceased was Maya Goren, a 56-year-old kindergarten teacher who was killed during the attack on her kibbutz, Nir Oz. This kibbutz was one of the hardest-hit communities in southern Israel, which experienced widespread devastation during the attack. The other four hostages included two reserve soldiers and two conscript soldiers who were killed in combat on the same day.
These five hostages were part of a larger group of 120 individuals still listed as missing in Gaza. Of this group, Israel has declared about a third dead in absentia, based on forensic evidence, intelligence, and the testimony of released hostages.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the U.S. Congress on Wednesday, stating that his government is vigorously working to secure the release of the remaining hostages and expressed confidence in achieving this goal.
Additionally, an Israeli delegation is set to join discussions next week aimed at securing a ceasefire and negotiating the release of hostages. These talks, mediated by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, will be crucial as Hamas seeks a ceasefire agreement, while Netanyahu insists that the war will continue until Hamas is defeated.
