Israel’s military said Thursday it had recovered the bodies of two hostages from the Gaza Strip, while Hamas condemned the United States for vetoing a UN Security Council resolution demanding a permanent ceasefire.
The captives were identified as Judy Weinstein-Hagi and Gadi Hagi. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed their recovery and expressed condolences to their families. “We will not rest until all our hostages, living and deceased, are brought home,” he said.
According to Israeli reports, the recovery operation followed intelligence extracted from a Palestinian detainee held in Gaza. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum welcomed the news and urged renewed efforts to secure the release of remaining hostages. Israeli officials say 56 hostages are still held in Gaza, out of 251 abducted during Hamas’s October 2023 attack.
The two bodies were reportedly found in Khan Younis, an area where the Mujahideen Brigades are believed to be holding other hostages, including Shiri Bibas and her children.
Hamas Condemns U.S. Ceasefire Veto
In a separate development, Hamas strongly criticized Washington’s veto of a UN Security Council resolution that sought to impose a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. Fourteen of the 15 Council members supported the measure.
Hamas called the U.S. move “further proof of blind bias” toward Israel and said it reflects “arrogant disregard for international law.” The group also accused the U.S. of blocking global efforts to stop the war and highlighted the Security Council’s failure to ensure aid delivery into Gaza.
Bombing Continues Across Gaza
Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes continued across Gaza. Civil defence officials said at least 10 people were killed Thursday morning, including displaced civilians in Khan Younis, residents of Gaza City, and families in Deir el-Balah.
The previous night, an entire family was reportedly killed in Khan Younis, according to the Palestinian Wafa agency. Rescue teams pulled bodies from the rubble with limited tools.
Rights group Euro-Med Human Rights said Israeli forces also targeted civilians in Beit Lahia. Three children were found dead, but only one body could be retrieved due to security conditions and lack of medical access.
Gaza’s humanitarian crisis deepened further as aid distribution by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, a U.S. and Israeli-backed NGO, remained suspended following an Israeli attack near its centre that killed dozens waiting for food. GHF cited “maintenance and repair work” but gave no clear reopening date.
The war, now in its 8th month, has killed over 61,700 Palestinians. Rights groups including Amnesty International say the scale of destruction and civilian casualties may constitute genocide.
