Israeli Officials Retrieve the Bodies of 5 Hostages From Gaza

Israeli forces retrieved the bodies of five Israelis held in Gaza, the Israeli military said on Thursday, amid growing international pressure for a cease-fire deal that would involve the release of the remaining captives.

The bodies were found on Wednesday in a tunnel shaft in a Khan Younis zone that Israel previously designated as a humanitarian area where Gazan civilians could go to avoid the fighting and to receive aid, the Israeli military said. The shaft was nearly 220 yards long and more than 20 yards underground, with several rooms, the military said.

Israel has said that Hamas has exploited the “humanitarian zone” to launch rockets at Israel, as well as use it for other military purposes. Aid groups have lamented that Israel has occasionally struck the area, despite telling Gazans they would be safer there. There was no immediate response from Hamas.

Israel has been carrying out a new operation in Khan Younis this week, using tanks and fighter jets to strike what it has described as Hamas infrastructure in the southern Gaza city. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the Israeli military spokesman, told reporters the renewed offensive aimed in part to “enable the operation” to retrieve the bodies.

Dozens of people have been killed during the Israeli assault on Khan Younis, the Gazan Health Ministry has reported. Many also fled their homes as the Israeli bombardment intensified, while others elected to stay, hoping they would be safer in their houses than in tents. Admiral Hagari said that Israeli forces had killed “many terrorists.”

The five people whose bodies were recovered — Maya Goren, 56; Tomer Ahimas, 20; Kiril Brodski, 19; Oren Goldin, 33; and Ravid Katz, 51 — were killed during the Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7 and were taken back to Gaza to be held as bargaining chips, Israeli officials said. They are considered hostages by the Israeli government.