Photo: MOSAB SHAWER / AFP / Getty Images
The Israeli Defense Forces announced on Friday (May 17) that they have recovered the bodies of three hostages from a tunnel in the Gaza Strip. The hostages, identified as Shani Louk, Amit Bouskila, and Itshak Gelernter, were killed while escaping the Nova music festival, according to IDF spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari.
"They were celebrating life in the Nova music festival, and they were murdered by Hamas," Hagari said during a press conference in Tel Aviv.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his grief on social media, stating, "The heart breaks for the great loss. My wife Sara and I grieve with the families. All our hearts are with them in this hour of grieving."
He also praised the IDF forces for their efforts in recovering the bodies.
Of the three hostages, only Louk had previously been confirmed dead by the Israeli government. The 23-year-old German-Israeli woman was declared dead by the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs in late October after forensic examiners found a bone fragment from her skull.
The IDF believes there are still 132 hostages being held in Gaza, 128 of whom were taken on October 7. Negotiations for their release have been ongoing, but no agreement has been reached yet.