The Israeli army recovers the bodies of two hostages kidnapped in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed Wednesday that the army has recovered the bodies of two hostages, including Yair Yaakov, who were kidnapped by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and Palestinian militias during the October 7, 2023, attacks.

"The bodies of two of our hostages have been returned to Israel: the deceased Yair Yaakov and another hostage whose name has not yet been revealed . His family has been informed of this," the prime minister said in a statement, adding that Yaakov was taken hostage by Islamic Jihad.

Netanyahu explained that the bodies were recovered during a military operation carried out by the Israeli Army and the Israeli intelligence agency, the Shin Bet. "My wife and I extend our deepest condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones," he said. He also expressed his gratitude to the Israeli troops for the "successful" operation. "We will not rest or remain silent until we bring home all of our captives, both the living and the dead," he concluded.

For its part, the Israeli Army said in a statement that the bodies were recovered in the Khan Yunis area of ​​southern Gaza . "The operation was made possible thanks to precise information provided by the hostage command, the Intelligence Department, and the Shin Bet," it stated.

Yair Yaakov's son, Yagil, confirmed in an Instagram post with the Forum of Families of Hostages and Missing Persons that his father's body was returning to Israel. "Yaya, 59 years old at the time of his death, worked in the auto repair shop at Kibbutz Alumim. He was a humble man, loving to his family and deeply rooted in the land . He was always willing to help everyone," he said.

Yaakov, 59, and his partner, Meirav Tal, were kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz during the attacks on October 7, 2023. Their sons, Or and Yagil, were also taken hostage by the Palestinian militia, but were later released under a hostage-for-prisoner deal reached in November last year.

Yaakov's death was confirmed by the army in February 2024. To date , 55,100 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli army's offensive following the October 7 attacks, which left around 1,200 dead and 250 hostages.