Israel recovers bodies of 6 hostages in Gaza
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Displaced Palestinians watch from a makeshift camp as shells fired from Israeli tanks hit an area near the Hamad residential complex in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on Aug. 18. Photo: BASHAR TALEB/AFP via Getty Images
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Tuesday that it had recovered the bodies of six hostages held by Hamas in the city of Khan Younis.
The big picture: The recovery of the hostages' bodies increases the pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu to reach a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal.
- There are now 109 hostages left in Gaza. At least half of them are presumed dead.
- "The State of Israel has a moral and ethical obligation to return all of the murdered for dignified burial, and all of the living hostages so that they can rehabilitate their lives," the hostage families headquarters said in a statement. "The immediate return of all 109 hostages will only be possible in a deal. The Israeli government, with the help of the mediators, must do everything to sign the deal that is now on the table."
Driving the news: The six Israeli civilians were recovered in a military operation targeting a Hamas tunnel in Khan Younis. No fighting took place during the recovery operation, the IDF said in a statement.
- They had been kidnapped by Hamas in the Oct. 7 attack. All six hostages were alive until at least March, the IDF said.
- Those recovered include: Avraham Munder, Alex Dancyg, Chaim Peri, Yagev Buchshtav, Yoram Metzger and Nadav Popplewell.
- The IDF had previously announced the death of five of the hostages in June and July. Munder's death was only confirmed when his body was found during the operation.
- The IDF thinks some of the hostages were murdered by Hamas, but others were killed by Israeli airstrikes.
The big picture: The recovery operation took place amid the ongoing negotiations on the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal.
- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken traveled to Egypt on Monday. He will head to Qatar on Tuesday to continue pushing for a deal.
- CIA director Bill Burns, White House Middle East czar Brett McGurk and Qatari, Egyptian and Israeli negotiators are expected to meet in Cairo later this week.
What they are saying: President Biden said in his speech at the Democratic National Convention on Monday that he is working to bring the hostages back home and end the war in Gaza.
- "We are working around the clock to prevent a wider war in the Middle East," Biden said. "We want to end the suffering of Palestinians in Gaza and end this war once and for all. The protesters in the streets have a point — a lot of innocent people are getting killed on both sides."
- Biden later told reporters that the negotiations are "still in play," but stressed he can't predict the outcome.
- "Israel says they can work it out. … Hamas is now backing away," Biden said.
- Hamas rejected Biden's comments and claimed the recent U.S. proposal was a withdrawal from previously agreed upon terms.
Editor's note: This story was updated with a statement from the hostage families headquarters.
