Israel announced on Sunday that it recovered the remains of three hostages from Gaza and that their bodies had been returned to Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu identified the three individuals as Yonatan Samerano, Shai Levinson and Ofra Kedar, saying they were “murdered and taken hostage” during the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas and taken hostage into Gaza.
“Together with all citizens of Israel, my wife and I convey our heartfelt condolences to the dear families, and share in their deep sorrow,” Netanyahu said.
“I thank the commander and our fighters for the successful action, their determination and their courage,” he continued.
Netanyahu said Israel is continuing its effort to bring home the hostages — even as it has opened a new front with its war with Iran, with which Israel has been exchanging strikes for more than a week.
The statement came shortly after President Trump announced that the U.S. bombed three Iranian nuclear sites.
“The campaign to return the hostages is ongoing and is continuing in parallel to our campaign against Iran,” Netanyahu said. “We will not rest until we return home all of our hostages, the living and the deceased.”