Three body parts - IDF soldier and two civilians - recovered from Gaza

Three body parts - IDF soldier and two civilians - recovered from Gaza

The corpse of a soldier of the Israeli defense forces (IDF) and two civilians who during the Hamas attacks were killed on October 7 were recovered in a military hostage-back.

Details to return the corpse

In a special surgery carried out by the Israeli security authority (ISA) and the IDF, the corpses of civilians Ofra Keidar and Yonatan Samerano and the soldier Shay Levinson were brought back from the Gaza strip on Saturday. The ISA and the IDF announced this in a joint explanation on Sunday.

The tragic fate of Ofra Keidar

Ofa Keidar, which from the kibbutz-be’eri congregation was on October 7, 2023 killed by Hamas fighters. The 71-year-old was brought into the Gaza Strip and has been held there since. Keidar was the mother of three children and her family was also affected by the Hamas attack because her husband was also killed.

"On this dark Saturday, Ofra went into the fields that she loved - and never returned," explained her Kibbutz in a message.

"OFRA was one of the women who made Be’eri the flowering kibbutz who has become. It served as an example and showed strength and leadership qualities. She leaves three children and seven grandchildren."

The loss of Yonatan Samerano and Shay Levinson

Samerano, 21 years old and from Tel Aviv, was also killed by Hamas fighters who after the escape from Nova-Musikfestival

Levinson, a German-Israeli double citizen and tank commander, also fell in the fight on October 7th. According to the joint explanation of ISA and IDF, his body was also brought to Gaza.

The reactions to the return

The forum for hostages and missing families said: "In addition to grief and pain, the return of their corpses brings some consolation for the families who have been waiting for 625 days."

The forum also called for priority to return the return of the remaining 50 hostages in the Gaza Strip, while Israel is still in conflict with Iran. "Especially against the background of current military developments and the significant achievements in Iran, we would like to emphasize that the return of the remaining 50 hostages is the key to a complete victory of Israel," it said.

Israel's prime minister shows compassion

In an explanation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent the families of Keidar, Samerano and Levinson his "warmest condolences" and thanked the Israeli soldiers for their "successful operation."