The bodies of six hostages taken by Hamas on 7 October have been recovered from a tunnel in the Rafah area of southern Gaza, the Israeli military has said. They have all been named and pictured.
Six Israeli hostages in Gaza have been confirmed dead by their families, hours after Israel’s army said it had found bodies in the territory.
The bodies of Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Ori Danino were brought back to Israel, the Israeli military said in a statement.
All were abducted by Hamas-led militants on 7 October, with their bodies found in an underground tunnel in southern Gaza on Saturday, according to the Israel Defence Forces.
“According to our initial estimation, they were brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists a short time before we reached them,” military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said.
Hamas and its armed wing did not immediately comment on the accusations.
US President Joe Biden said he is “devastated and outraged” by the news.
“It is as tragic as it is reprehensible. Make no mistake, Hamas leaders will pay for these crimes,” he said.
“And we will keep working around the clock for a deal to secure the release of the remaining hostages.”
US vice president Kamala Harris and secretary of state Antony Blinken also shared their condolences with Mr Goldberg-Polin’s parents.