Bodies of six Israeli hostages retrieved from Gaza, Israel says
Source: CNN World
Updated 4:03 AM EDT, Tue August 20, 2024
CNN — The bodies of six Israeli hostages have been retrieved from Gaza during an overnight military operation, Israeli authorities said Tuesday. In a joint announcement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel’s security agency (ISA) named them as Yoram Metzger, Alexander Dancyg, Avraham Munder, Chaim Peri, Nadav Popplewell and Yagev Buchshtab. All but Munder had been announced dead in recent months by the Israeli military.
“Tonight our forces returned the bodies of six of our hostages who were held by the murderous terrorist organization Hamas,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement, thanking those involved in the operation for their “bravery and determined action.” “Our hearts ache for the terrible loss,” he said.
Israeli authorities did not immediately release details of the operation to recover the hostages’ bodies but the joint statement said it was “enabled by precise intelligence from the ISA, IDF intelligence units, and the IDF Intelligence Directorate Hostage Headquarters.”
Munder, 79, Metzger, 80, and Peri, 80, were all residents of Kibbutz Nir Oz, near the Gaza border, where they were captured during Hamas’ October 7 attacks, according to statements from the kibbutz.
Read more: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/08/20/middleeast/israeli-hostages-gaza-intl-hnk/index.html
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Top (L-R): Nadav Popplewell, Yoram Metzger, Avraham Munder; bottom (L-R): Chaim Peri, Yagev Buchshtav, Alex Dancyg (Courtesy)