The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Sunday the successful recovery of the bodies of three Israeli hostages from the Gaza Strip during a joint overnight operation conducted alongside the Shin Bet security service.
The remains of Ofra Keidar, 71, Jonathan Samerano, 22, and Staff Sgt. Shay Levinson, 19, were recovered in a mission led by the IDF’s Gaza Division, relying on what officials described as “precise intelligence” gathered through close coordination between the Hostages Headquarters unit, the Military Intelligence Directorate, and the Shin Bet.
According to Hobnob News, the operation marks a grim but significant development in the ongoing effort to account for those taken during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel.
Ofra Keidar was murdered in her home during the brutal assault on Kibbutz Be’eri and subsequently taken into Gaza. Jonathan Samerano, a young man attending the Nova music festival, had fled the scene and taken refuge in Be’eri with two friends. All three were killed, and Samerano’s body was also abducted. Staff Sgt. Shay Levinson, a tank commander stationed along the Gaza border, died in combat while defending against Hamas forces near the Nova festival site. His body was taken by terrorists into the Gaza Strip.
Following their recovery, the bodies were transferred to Israel for forensic identification at the Abu Kabir Institute. The families of the deceased have been notified.
Sunday’s announcement comes amid ongoing efforts to secure the return of hostages still held in Gaza. According to the latest figures from Israeli officials, 50 hostages remain in the hands of terror groups in Gaza. Of those, at least 28 are confirmed dead, 20 are believed to be alive, and the status of two remains uncertain. Additionally, Hamas continues to hold the body of an IDF soldier killed in the 2014 conflict.
The IDF reaffirmed its commitment to bringing every hostage and fallen soldier home, emphasizing the high priority of ongoing rescue and recovery efforts.
