The bodies of three hostages have been recovered from Gaza in an overnight operation, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson Daniel Hagari said during a press conference in Tel Aviv on Friday.
The hostages were named as Shani Louk, Amit Bouskila and Itzhak Gelerenter.
German-Israeli citizen Shani Louk went missing in Gaza after attending the Supernova music festival on October 7, which was attacked by Hamas militants.
An image of her in the back of a truck being taken into Gaza became one of the most widely circulated images depicting Hamas’s attack on southern Israel.
Hagari said that the bodies had been identified and families had been informed.
“The IDF and the Shin Bet (Israel’s Security Agency) continue, even at this time, in using all operational and intelligence measures, while taking operational risks, in order to realise the supreme national mission of returning all the abductees” he added.
Aid into Gaza delivered via new US pier
Trucks carrying aid rolled across a newly built US pier into Gaza for the first time on Friday as an ongoing Israeli blockade hinders food and other supplies from entering the region.
The initial shipment marks the start of a military operation aimed at scaling up to 150 truckloads daily, according to US military officials.
The project faces several obstacles as aid groups warn that the floating pier project is not a substitute for land deliveries essential for providing all the necessary food, water, and fuel in Gaza.
The operation’s success also faces the risks of a militant attack, logistical hurdles and a growing shortage of fuel for the trucks to run due to the Israeli blockade of Gaza since Hamas’ October 7 attack.
Fighting continues in northern Gaza
Fighting continues in Jabaliya refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, where the IDF has reported to have killed over 200 gunmen.
The civil defence in Gaza said it they had collected 93 bodies from Jabaliya in the past 24 hours, posting on Telegram that its crews were facing difficulties in accessing parts of the territory.
Despite international criticism, Israel is also pressing forward with its military operation in Rafah, where it has announced it will send more troops.
Around 600,000 Palestinians have fled the besieged city of Rafah since the beginning of last week, according to the United Nations.
Some 80% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million Palestinians have fled their homes since the start of the war, with many relocating multiple times.
