Israel says its forces have recovered the bodies of six hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
In a statement, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the bodies were located on Saturday in an underground tunnel in the Rafah area of southern Gaza.
The IDF named the hostages as Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi and Master Sgt Ori Danino.
Spokesman Rear Adm Daniel Hagari said an initial assessment was they were “brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists shortly before we reached them”.
A senior Hamas official, Izzat al-Rishq, insisted Israel was responsible for their deaths, as it has refused to sign a ceasefire deal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would not rest until those responsible for their killing are brought to justice.
In a statement, he also said his government was committed to achieving a deal to release those remaining in captivity and protects the country’s security.
“Whoever murders hostages – does not want a deal,” he added.
A group representing the families of those held hostage in Gaza has demanded that Mr Netanyahu “address the nation and take responsibility for abandoning the hostages”.
The Hostages Families Forum said that all six held captive were “murdered in the last few days, after surviving almost 11 months of abuse, torture, and starvation in Hamas captivity”.
“The delay in signing the deal has led to their deaths and those of many other hostages,” they added in a statement.
The group has also announced plans to “bring the nation to a halt” on Sunday, asking the Israeli public to join protests in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and elsewhere in Israel to call for a hostage exchange deal.
A Bedouin Arab man rescued in Gaza last week by Israeli troops urged Israel to reach a deal with Hamas to free all the remaining hostages.
After returning to his village in southern Israel on Wednesday, Mr Elkadi said his “happiness is not complete as long as there are detainees” on both sides.
In its statement on Sunday morning announcing the deaths, the IDF said the bodies had been “returned to Israeli territory”.
“They were all taken hostage on 7 October [2023] and were murdered by the Hamas terrorist organisation in the Gaza Strip.”
The statement added that their families had already been notified.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog said the “heart of an entire nation is shattered to pieces with the news” of their killing.
“On behalf of the State of Israel, I embrace their families with all my heart, and apologize for failing to bring them home safely,” he added. (BBC News)
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