Special Operation: Israel Announces Recovery of Two Hostages’ Bodies from Gaza

5th June 2025

1 minute read

Special Operation: Israel Announces Recovery of Two Hostages’ Bodies from Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Thursday that the Israeli army had recovered the bodies of two hostages who had been held by the Hamas movement.

He stated that the bodies belonged to Judy Weinstein Haggi and Gadi Haggi.

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In a statement, Netanyahu said: “During a special operation carried out by the Shin Bet (internal security service) and the army in the Gaza Strip, the bodies of two of our hostages held by Hamas were brought back to Israel. They were killed on October 7 and taken to Gaza.”

The war broke out following an unprecedented attack launched by Hamas in Israel, which resulted in the death of 1,218 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.

Of the 251 people kidnapped during the Hamas attack, 55 remain held in Gaza, and the Israeli army has confirmed that at least 32 of them have died.

On March 18, a fragile two-month truce between Israel and Hamas collapsed. Since May 17, Israel has intensified its operations in Gaza, declaring its determination to free the remaining Israeli hostages, take full control of the Gaza Strip, and eliminate the Hamas movement.

Since the beginning of the war on October 7, 2023, the total number of Palestinian deaths has reached 54,607, according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health in Gaza.