The Israeli military successfully recovered the bodies of six hostages from the Gaza Strip during an overnight operation. The bodies were found in the city of Khan Younis, located in the southern part of Gaza. According to the military, the six men, aged between 35 and 80, were all alive when they were first abducted but were later found dead. The families of the victims have been informed.

Israel believes that Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, still holds 109 hostages. However, many of them are feared to no longer be alive. Hamas and other militant groups abducted 253 people from Israel on October 7. Some hostages were freed through prisoner exchanges, and others were rescued by the Israeli army, though at a high cost.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is currently working to broker a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and secure the release of the remaining hostages. While Israel has agreed to a U.S.-supported proposal, Hamas has yet to accept the terms.

The military operations in Gaza have drawn international criticism due to their impact on Palestinian civilians, raising concerns over the human cost of the conflict.