Israeli forces have successfully retrieved the bodies of six hostages held in Gaza, marking a significant development in ongoing tensions.
As part of their prolonged and lethal attack on the Palestinian enclave, Israel’s military recently declared that its soldiers located six prisoners – including an American citizen with dual nationality – inside a tunnel in southern Gaza. The bodies have since been retrieved.
The war initiated by Israel on Gaza back in October 7 after an assault led by Hamas, a Palestinian group, has resulted in the death of over 40,000 Palestinians. Additionally, around 250 individuals were held captive following this attack that occurred down south in Israel. Despite multiple calls for ceasefires to release the hostages from their confinement and end these constant airstrikes which have left Gaza completely destroyed; no agreement was made as Israel refused all such proposals put forth before them.
On Sunday, the military announced that they had retrieved their bodies “from a subterranean passage in Rafah” and brought them back to Israel for authentication. They asserted that the hostages were executed shortly before being discovered underground.
Almog Sarusi, Alex Lobanov, Carmel Gat, Ori Danino, Eden Yerushalmi and Hersh Goldberg-Polin were recognized as the captives.
A group of families with loved ones held captive, who have expressed dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s management of the situation, has announced plans for a major demonstration on Sunday. They are demanding a complete cessation of activities in the country as they push for both an immediate ceasefire and release of all remaining captives.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum stated that a possible agreement to retrieve the captives has lingered for more than two months. Had it not been obstructed by interruptions, subversion, and justifications like those announced this morning regarding fatalities among hostages, they believe everyone would have survived. Therefore, they urge authorities to act now and bring back our kidnapped citizens.
According to Izzat al-Risheq, a high-ranking figure in Hamas, the Israeli air strikes were responsible for the deaths of six hostages. Al-Risheq also accused the United States of exhibiting favoritism and contributing to the 11-month conflict in Gaza.
On Sunday, the prime minister of Israel vowed to “even the score” with Hamas and declared that they would be pursued relentlessly.
Netanyahu stated that those who take the lives of hostages do not desire a ceasefire for Gaza.
According to Menachem Klein, a political science professor at Bar-Ilan University in Israel, Netanyahu and his cabinet are responsible for the failure to reach an agreement that would have secured the captives’ release. In doing so, they effectively condemned their fellow Israelis to death.
“The problem is Israel’s reluctance to face reality,” he informed Al Jazeera, “which ultimately resulted in the loss of Israeli hostages’ lives.”
The US President Joe Biden expressed his deep sorrow and anger over the tragic demise of six hostages, among whom was Israeli-American Goldberg-Polin.
READ ALSO: Israeli Military Rescues Captive from Gaza Tunnel Operation
Despite supporting and financing Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, Biden promised that “Hamas leaders will be held accountable for their actions and we will continue to tirelessly pursue negotiations for the safe return of remaining hostages.”
Netanyahu rejected the ceasefire proposal presented by Biden in May that demanded the release of prisoners.
According to the military, Kaid Farhan al-Kadi, a member of a Bedouin community situated in southern Israel had been saved from perilous circumstances only days prior at a distance that equated roughly one kilometre.
According to YNet, an Israeli official who requested anonymity claimed that three of the hostages killed were among those Hamas agreed to release on July 2. Nevertheless, Al Jazeera was unable to confirm the statement through its own sources.
Carmel Gat, who was confirmed dead, is related to Gil Dickmann. He has been organizing daily demonstrations to urge the Netanyahu government to negotiate with Hamas so that the remaining hostages can be freed.
The situation has been personal for Dickmann as his aunt, Kinneret Gat was killed on October 7th at the Be’eri kibbutz located in southern Israel.
“Dickmann exclaimed in one of the protests that Benjamin Netanyahu refuses to listen. He urged him to exclude politics from the negotiation room.”
There are currently around 100 individuals being held captive in Gaza, while a previous agreement with Hamas resulted in the release of 105 captives. The remaining hostages will only be released if a ceasefire is established as per Hamas’ conditions.
Israel has faced accusations of committing war crimes and brutalities against Palestinians, resulting in the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor seeking to issue arrest warrants for Prime Minister Netanyahu alongside his Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. The charges have been extended to two Hamas leaders as well.
