A STATEMENT FROM the Israel Defence Forces has said that the bodies of six hostages have been recovered in Gaza. They were recovered in the southern area of Khan Yunis, during a joint operation with the Israeli internal security agency Shin Bet.

The military said that following intelligence and forensic analysis, the families have been informed.

“The IDF and ISA are continuing to deploy all operational and intelligence means in order to fulfill the supreme national mission of bringing back all the hostages,” the statement finished.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a campaign group for hostages still in Gaza, said the recovery of the bodies “provides their families with necessary closure, and grants eternal rest to the murdered”.

They called on the Israeli government to ensure that the remaining hostages are also returned to Israel under any negotiated deal.

Out of 251 hostages seized during Hamas’s surprise attack on 7 October, 111 are still held in Gaza. This includes 39 the military says are dead.

Mediation is currently ongoing to secure a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, with the release of hostages from Gaza and Palestinian prisoners held in Israel a red line for both parties.

United States Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has traveled to Egypt today for the latest round of talks. He said that Israel have accepted a “bridging proposal” from the US, and has urged Hamas to do the same.

Earlier on Monday, Blinken said that “this is a decisive moment. It’s probably the best, maybe the last, opportunity to get the hostages home, to get a ceasefire and to put everyone on a better path to enduring peace and security”.

However, Hamas has called for the framework put forward by US President Joe Biden in May to be implemented. This would involve an initial six week ceasefire while Israeli hostages are exchanged for Palestinian prisoners and humanitarian aid can enter Gaza.

Months of on-off negotiations with US, Qatari and Egyptian mediators have failed to produce an agreement.

Israel and Hamas have blamed each other for delays in reaching an accord that diplomats say would help avert a wider conflagration in the Middle East that could draw in Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

With reporting from © AFP 2024.