The bodies of two deceased hostages were recovered from southern Gaza in a military operation, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet security agency announced Wednesday evening.
Yair Yaakov was killed during by Islamic Jihad militants during the Hamas-led terror attack on October 7, 2023. Yaakov, who was 59 years old at the time, was killed in Kibbutz Nir Oz and his body taken into Gaza.
His partner, Meirav Tal, and two of his children were taken hostage and subsequently released during a previous hostage agreement.
The body of an additional hostage has also been recovered, according to the IDF and Shin Bet, but the second name has not yet been made public at the request of the family.
“Together with all the citizens of Israel, my wife and I extend our heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their dearest,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a statement.
“Alongside the pain and mourning, we feel a measure of relief knowing that the two will be laid to rest with dignity — and that the unbearable suffering their loved ones have endured for 614 days may now be eased, if only slightly,” said the Hostages and Missing Families Forum in a statement.
“We repeat our demand to the decision-makers to reach a full and comprehensive agreement that will bring home all 53 remaining hostages — even if that requires ending the fighting.”
The recovery of these two bodies comes less than a week after the Israeli military recovered the bodies of Judy Weinstein-Haggai, 70, and Gadi Haggai, 72, who were also killed during the attack on Nir Oz. Last week, the Israeli military also recovered the body of Thai hostage Nattapong Pinta.
According to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, 53 hostages remain in Gaza, one of whom has been held since 2014. Of these, at least 20 are believed to be alive and 31 dead, according to the Israeli government. There are grave concerns about the conditions of two hostages, the government has said.
This is a developing story and will be updated.