The IDF Spokesperson released additional details this evening (Tuesday) regarding the rescue operation of the six hostages: Chaim Peri (80), Yoram Metzger (80), Avraham Mondar (79), Nadav Popelwell (51), Yagov Bukhshtab (35), and Alex Danzig (75).
According to the information released, the IDF Spokesperson announced that last night (Monday), the Paratroopers Brigade Combat Team, including forces from the 75th Battalion and the Yahalom Unit, completed a joint operation with the Shin Bet to recover the bodies of the hostages in the Khan Yunis area.
During the operation, the forces discovered a tunnel entrance about 10 meters deep that led to an underground passage where the bodies of the hostages were found. Yahalom Unit forces and Shin Bet operatives investigated the tunnel’s path, neutralized the barriers, blast doors, and located weapons, explosives, and equipment used by the terrorists.
The rescue was carried out following prolonged fighting in built-up areas and high-rise buildings, during which the forces conducted raids and searches that led to the elimination of terrorists and the destruction of terror infrastructure.
The rescue operation was conducted under the command of Division 98 by soldiers of the Paratroopers Brigade, the Yahalom Unit, and the 75th Battalion, alongside Shin Bet operatives. It was made possible thanks to precise intelligence provided by the Shin Bet, intelligence units, and the Hostage Command in the Intelligence Directorate.
After an identification process at the National Institute of Forensic Medicine, together with the Israel Police, the Hostage Team in the Manpower Directorate, responsible for supporting the families of the hostages, delivered the notifications to the families and communities. The IDF and Shin Bet extend their condolences to the families and the kibbutz communities during this difficult time.
