IDF Finds Bodies of Hostages in Gaza Strip, Identification Process Ongoing

The IDF has located several bodies of hostages in the Gaza Strip. The military said Saturday evening the process of rescuing and identifying them will take a number of hours and called to avoid spreading rumors. Forces are continuing to operate in the area.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum issued a statement following the announcement: “Netanyahu abandoned the hostages. Now it’s a fact.” The headquarters added that “starting tomorrow the country will tremble, we are calling on the public to prepare.

At the headquarters, the families of hostages gathered for an emergency meeting to discuss plans for protests on Sunday and reported that further detailed announcements would be issued Sunday morning

Yair Golan, a former MK and head of the Democrats party, published a statement: “Tomorrow everyone will be on the streets.” Opposition leader Yair Lapid said “our sons and daughters are abandoned and dying in captivity and Netanyahu is busy spinning.”

Speaking to the White House press pool, U.S. President Joe Biden confirmed that the Israeli military was identifying bodies and that he did not have much to report on it at that moment.

Biden said he was “still optimistic” about a deal to release the hostages, that “people are continuing to meet” and “We think we can close the deal, they’ve all said they agree on the principles.”

“I think we’re on the verge of having an agreement,” Biden said, adding: “it’s time this war ended.”

This week, the IDF recovered the body of a soldier who was murdered on October 7 and abducted to Gaza. Earlier this month, the army recovered the bodies of six hostages who were kidnapped alive on October 7: Avraham Munder, Chaim Peri, Yoram Metzger and Alex Dancyg from Kibbutz Nir Oz; and Nadav Popplewell and Yagev Buchstab from Kibbutz Nirim. Munder’s death was only confirmed this month, while the military confirmed the deaths of the five others in the last two months

This week, the IDF also by chance located hostage, Kaid Farhan al-Qadi, who was kidnapped on October 7, in a tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip. al-Qadi was found in the tunnel alone and was not handcuffed. The soldiers did not encounter his captors or other terrorists there. In an unusual step, the force questioned al-Qadi before rescuing him to find out if there were other hostages in the tunnel, but none were found. al-Qadi was taken to Soroka Hospital in Be’er Sheva, where it was announced that he was in good medical condition.