Israeli forces recovered the bodies of three hostages from Gaza during a military operation on Saturday, marking the eighth such retrieval this month. The remains were identified as civilians Ofra Keidar, 71, and Yonatan Samerano, 21, along with Staff Sgt. Shay Levinson, 19—all killed during Hamas’ October 7, 2023, operation. Keidar was detained from Kibbutz Be’eri, where her husband was also killed, while Samerano was taken from the Nova music festival. Levinson's body was captured after he died in combat with Hamas troops.
With these recoveries, 50 hostages remain in Gaza, only 20–25 of whom Israel believes are alive. Hamas insists any further releases require Israel’s full withdrawal from Gaza, a permanent ceasefire, and the freeing of Palestinian prisoners—terms Prime Minister Netanyahu rejects. Negotiations remain stalled despite international pressure.
The recovery operation coincided with escalating suffering in Gaza, where health authorities report over 55,000 Palestinians killed—mostly women and children—since October. The U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) admitted Saturday that aid distribution remains critically insufficient, with famine-like conditions persisting. At least 450 Palestinians have been killed near aid points since late May, though GHF denies responsibility, blaming violence on "crowd chaos".
Samerano’s family and Israeli officials accused a UNRWA employee of involvement in his abduction, referencing earlier UN investigations into staff misconduct. Meanwhile, hospitals in central Gaza reported new airstrikes killing civilians waiting for aid, underscoring the cycle of violence that continues to claim lives daily.