Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Sunday that the remains of three hostages—Yonatan Samrano, Ofra Kedar and Staff Sgt Shai Levinson—were returned to Israeli control following an overnight mission in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the internal security service Shin Bet carried out the operation, which brought back the bodies of these individuals, all of whom were taken captive during the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023.
The IDF statement did not provide precise coordinates for where the remains were found, but military spokespeople said troops moved swiftly under fire, secured the site and exfiltrated the bodies without any casualties among the rescuers. Over the past three weeks, Israeli forces have recovered eight bodies of hostages through a mix of intelligence work and ground actions.
Ms Kedar, aged 71, was seized from her kibbutz home in southern Israel on the morning of October 7 and held in Gaza until her death. According to United Nations reports on civilian casualties, elderly hostages like Ms Kedar face heightened risks in captivity because of health issues and limited access to medical care. Staff Sgt Levinson, who was only 19 when he fell in combat during a counterattack on the same day, was praised by the IDF as having “engaged and fought terrorists” before he was captured. Yonatan Samrano, who turned 23 on the very day his father reports the recovery operation succeeded, was remembered by family members in an Instagram post that called the mission “heroic.” Reuters provided images of the three hostages, showing Ms Kedar looking at the camera with her black hair framing her face, Mr Samrano in a dark T-shirt and Sgt Levinson wearing glasses and offering a gentle smile (Reuters).
In a public address, Mr Netanyahu thanked “our commanders and fighters for their bravery and resolve” and confirmed that the broader mission to locate all abductees remains a top priority. “We will continue this effort alongside our campaign against Iranian influence in the region,” he added, referring to recent strikes on targets linked to Iran-backed militias. He vowed that “we will not rest until we bring every hostage home, living or dead.”
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, which represents relatives of the captives, issued a statement saying the return of these three remains brings families “a measure of relief amid a long period of angst and uncertainty.” The forum noted that 54 hostages are believed to remain in Gaza, including 31 whom the military has classified as dead, and urged continued military pressure until all are accounted for.
Meanwhile, humanitarian groups have called for renewed efforts to secure the release of remaining living hostages and to improve the delivery of aid to Gaza’s civilian population, where over 50,000 have died since the conflict began, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
Short Analysis
This operation demonstrates the IDF’s capacity to act on precise intelligence under fire, yet it also underscores the deep human cost of a conflict that has now lasted more than 600 days. Recovering bodies offers grieving families some solace, but it also highlights a grim reality: dozens of hostages still remain in captivity, and prospects for a broader peace deal feel distant. As military and diplomatic channels continue in parallel, Israel faces mounting international pressure both to secure hostage releases and to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, a balance that will shape regional dynamics in the weeks ahead.
Source: BBC
