Israel recovers bodies of three hostages from Gaza
The IDF recovered the bodies of three Israelis murdered on October 7 and taken to Gaza, Israel announced on Sunday.
From left, Staff Sergeant Shai Levinson, 19; Yonatan Samrano, 21; and Ofra Keidar, 71, whose bodies were recovered from Gaza by Israeli soldiers on June 20, 2025. Photos courtesy the families/TPS-IL
The bodies recovered in the overnight operation were identified as Ofra Kedar, Yonatan Samrano, and Staff Sergeant Shai Levinson.
Ofra Kedar, 71, was abducted from her home in Kibbutz Be’eri, where she and her husband, Shmuel, were murdered by Hamas terrorists. A mother of three, Kedar was among the dozens of residents killed in the massacre that devastated the kibbutz on October 7.
Yonatan Samrano, 21, was kidnapped and murdered after fleeing the Nova Music Festival by Kibbutz Re’im. Israeli authorities said that a Hamas operative who was employed by United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) at the time was personally involved in Samrano’s abduction.
Staff Sergeant Shai Levinson, 19, served as a tank commander in the Oz Battalion. He fell in battle while defending the border on the morning of October 7 and was subsequently taken into Gaza by Hamas fighters.
“After an identification process conducted by the Israel Police and the Military Rabbinate, the fallen were confirmed and their families have been informed,” the IDF said in a joint statement with Shin Bet. “The IDF shares in the grief of the families and will continue to act by all means to return all abductees.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the forces for their efforts. “I thank our commanders and fighters for a successful operation, for their determination and courage,” he said. “We will not rest until we return all of our abductees home—both the living and the dead.”
The prime minister emphasised that the mission to retrieve hostages continues alongside ongoing military operations against Iranian threats.
“Together with all the citizens of Israel, my wife and I extend our heartfelt condolences to the dear families and share in their great sorrow,” Netanyahu said.
At least 1,180 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the 50 remaining hostages, around 30 are believed to be dead.
