JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israeli forces have recovered the bodies of two hostages killed in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack and held in Gaza since then, Israel’s Army Radio reported on Wednesday, citing a statement from their kibbutz communities.
Maya Goren, a 56-year-old kindergarden teacher was killed during the attack on her kibbutz, Nir Oz, Army Radio said, one of the communities worst-hit in the deadly Hamas rampage through southern Israel that triggered the devastating war in Gaza.
The second hostage was Oren Goldin, 33, from a nearby Kibbutz, Nir Yitzhak.
The Israeli military did not immediately confirm the report.
Goren and Goldin were among the 120 hostages still held in Gaza, around 40 of whom Israel has declared dead in absentia based on forensic findings at various sites of attack, intelligence, visual documentation, and testimonies of released hostages.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an address to the U.S. Congress on Wednesday, said his government was actively engaged in intensive efforts to release the remaining hostages and that he was confident those efforts would succeed.
An Israeli delegation would take part in talks to secure a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release – mediated by The United States, Egypt and Qatar – next week, an Israeli official said on Wednesday.
Hamas wants a ceasefire agreement to end the war in Gaza. However, Netanyahu says the war cannot end before Hamas is defeated.
(Reporting by Maayan Lubell; Editing by Sandra Maler)
