The Israel Defense Forces discovered the remains of three hostages who were killed by Hamas militants. Shani Louk (23), Amit Buskila (28), and Itzik Gelenter (53) were abducted and murdered during the attack on the Nova Music Festival on October 7.
According to IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari, the three hostages were killed in a brutal manner while attempting to escape during the attack. Subsequently, their bodies were taken into the Gaza Strip.
Israel recovers 3 bodies of hostages from Gaza, as aid starts flowing in via new U.S.-built floating pier. My live report for @TODAYshow
— Josh Lederman (@JoshNBCNews) May 18, 2024
In late October, Israel officially confirmed the death of Shani Louk, a 23-year-old tattoo artist of German-Israeli descent. A video circulating on social media depicted her partially unclothed body being carried on the back of a pickup truck and paraded through Gaza.
After being captured, the 23-year-old was publicly displayed naked in a pickup truck. Videos circulated immediately after the terror attacks, showing Shani lying face down in the vehicle. Her family recognized her through her dreadlocks and unique tattoos.
Until Friday, the family of 53-year-old Gelernter remained uninformed about his fate, as conveyed by his daughter, Yarden Pivko, to Channel 12 News.
“We held on to hope and had a lot of faith that the end would be different,” she said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the news “heartbreaking.” “This terrible loss is heart-breaking… We will return all of our hostages, the living and the deceased alike,” he said.
During the Nova festival, which took place near the Re’im kibbutz close to the Gaza border, thousands of young people came together on October 6 and 7 to dance to electronic music.
According to Israeli authorities, Hamas gunmen infiltrated Israel during a festival and caused the deaths of over 360 people
Approximately one-third of the fatalities resulting from the October 7 attack, which claimed the lives of around 1,170 people, were victims of the Nova festival. The majority of those killed were civilians.
In response to Hamas attacks, Israel carried out a retaliatory operation in Gaza, resulting in the deaths of over 35,303 individuals, primarily civilians, as reported by the health ministry in the Hamas-controlled territory.
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