Israel announced on Sunday that its forces discovered the bodies of six hostages in a tunnel in Gaza, while a separate incident in the West Bank saw the fatal shooting of three Israeli officers, intensifying the ongoing conflict.
The tragic shooting took place near Hebron, a city in the West Bank, further escalating the violence in the region. This area, separated from Gaza by Israeli territory, has been a hotspot of conflict, with Israel launching a large-scale military operation since Wednesday that has drawn international concern.
In Gaza, where the war between Israel and Hamas has raged for nearly 11 months, “humanitarian pauses” were scheduled to allow a massive polio vaccination campaign. A health official confirmed that the campaign had begun.
Israeli military sources reported that the remains of six hostages were recovered on Saturday from a tunnel in the Rafah area of southern Gaza. These individuals, identified as Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Almog Sarusi, Ori Danino, US-Israeli Hersh Goldberg-Polin, and Russian-Israeli Alexander Lobanov, were abducted by Palestinian militants during the October 7 attacks.
Military spokesperson Daniel Hagari confirmed that all six were taken alive on the morning of October 7 and were killed by Hamas shortly before Israeli forces could reach them.
US President Joe Biden expressed his devastation and anger over the deaths, including that of US citizen Goldberg-Polin, while also stating his optimism about a possible truce and hostage release deal.
The six victims were among 251 hostages taken during the October 7 Hamas attack, which sparked the ongoing conflict. While some hostages were released during a one-week truce in November, 97 remain captive in Gaza, with 33 confirmed dead by the Israeli army.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a campaign group, emphasized the need for a negotiated deal to secure the return of all hostages, blaming delays and failed mediation efforts for the deaths of the six.
A senior Hamas official, speaking anonymously, claimed that some of the six were slated for release in a potential hostage-prisoner swap, but the deal has yet to be finalized.
As the conflict continues, the humanitarian situation in Gaza worsens. A polio vaccination drive was launched in response to the first confirmed case in 25 years, with the World Health Organization facilitating “humanitarian pauses” to reach approximately 640,000 children.
Meanwhile, violence persists in the West Bank. In addition to the deadly shooting near Hebron, Israeli forces and Palestinian militants have clashed across the region, leading to further casualties. The Israeli military described these operations as “counter-terrorism” efforts.
In Jenin, Israeli forces have reportedly caused significant destruction, cutting off power and water supplies in the adjacent refugee camp. The ongoing military operations have led to the deaths of 22 Palestinians and an Israeli soldier since Wednesday.
Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi condemned Israel for the escalation, calling for an end to what he described as “bloody aggression” in the West Bank. The United Nations reported that at least 637 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces or settlers since the Gaza conflict began, while 23 Israelis, including soldiers, have died in Palestinian attacks or during military operations.
