Israeli forces recover remains of three hostages from Gaza

Israeli forces have recovered the remains of three hostages from the Gaza Strip.

The military identified the remains as those of Yonatan Samerano, 21; Ofra Keidar, 70; and Shay Levinson, 19. All three were killed when Hamas militants stormed across the border into Israel on 7 October 2023, an act which ignited the ongoing war.

The militant group still holds 50 hostages, of whom only 20 are believed to be alive. "The campaign to return the hostages continues consistently and is happening alongside the campaign against Iran," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

Israel's military did not provide any details about the recovery operation. Mr Samerano's father Kobi said in a Facebook post that his son's remains were returned on what would have been his 23rd birthday.

The Hostages Families Forum, which is the main organisation representing the families of the hostages, has repeatedly called for a deal to release the remaining captives. "Particularly against the backdrop of current military developments and the significant achievements in Iran, we want to emphasise that bringing back the remaining 50 hostages is the key to achieving any sort of victory," it said.

Read more:Iran responds after US strikes on nuclear sites'Stability in Middle East is priority,' says Starmer - as world reacts Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in return for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Mr Netayahu has rejected the group's terms, saying Israel will continue the war until all hostages are returned and Hamas is defeated or disarmed.

Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 people during the 7 October 2023 attack. More than half of the hostages have been returned in ceasefire agreements or other deals, eight have been rescued alive and Israeli forces have recovered dozens of bodies.

Israel's war in Gaza has killed more than 55,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, which has said women and children make up more than half of the dead. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count..