Israeli Forces Recover Bodies of Hostages Held by Hamas

Israeli military has recovered the bodies of four hostages killed in the October 7th Hamas attack in Gaza. One victim was Maya Goren, a 56-year-old kindergarten teacher. Efforts are ongoing to release the remaining hostages amid a proposed ceasefire mediated by the US, Egypt, and Qatar.

On Wednesday, Israeli forces successfully recovered the bodies of four hostages who were killed during Hamas' October 7 attack and subsequently held in Gaza, according to the Israeli military.

Maya Goren, a 56-year-old kindergarten teacher, was among those killed when Hamas attacked her kibbutz in Nir Oz, one of the hardest-hit communities in southern Israel. The other three hostages were a reserve soldier and two conscript soldiers killed in combat during the same attack.

The bodies were retrieved from Khan Younis in southern Gaza, where Israeli forces carried out new raids this week. These hostages were part of the 120 still held in Gaza, with Israel having declared about a third of them dead based on various forensic and intelligence findings.

In an address to the U.S. Congress, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced ongoing efforts to release the remaining hostages and expressed confidence in the success of these efforts. An Israeli delegation is set to participate in talks next week, mediated by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar, to secure a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release.

Hamas is pushing for a ceasefire to end the Gaza conflict, yet Netanyahu insists that the war cannot end until Hamas is defeated.

(With inputs from agencies.)