Israeli Defense Force finds bodies of three Hamas hostages killed in Oct 7 attack

The Israeli military announced its defense force found on Friday the bodies of three Israelis who were killed by Hamas in the Oct. 7 attack at the Nova music festival. 

The terrorist organization Hamas killed at least 1,200 Israelis during the Oct. 7 attack, which consisted mainly of civilians, and captured another 250 as hostages. Nearly half of the hostages have since been released in prisoner exchanges, but Israel believes more than 100 remain in Gaza, along with the bodies of 30 others. 

It is not clear where Friday's discovery was made, but it comes as Israel maintains control of the Gazan city of Rafah, where Israeli intelligence believes hostages are being held. The three victims have been identified as 22-year-old German-Israeli Shani Louk, 28-year-old Amit Buskila, and 56-year-old Itzhak Gelerenter, according to the Associated Press.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mourned the losses in a statement posted to X, and vowed to return the bodies of all the Israelis that Hamas captured back to Israel.

"The heart breaks for such a big loss. My wife Sarah and I are hurting with the families. All our hearts are with them at their time of heavy grief," Netanyahu wrote in a statement translated by NPR. "We will return all of our hostages, living and dead. I congratulate our brave forces that in a determined action returned Israel's sons and daughters home."

Although Hamas killed more than 1,200 Israelis in its initial attack last year, Gaza health officials say Israel has killed more than 35,000 Palestinians, including a high amount of civilians as it wages war with Hamas.

The discovery comes after thousands of Israelis joined protests in the country last weekend, which called for a deal to bring the remaining hostages home. They also called for a new election and for Netanyahu to resign.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just the News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.