Israel’s military has recovered the bodies of six captives from a tunnel in southern Gaza during its 11-month long assault on the Palestinian enclave. The captives, including a dual US national, were identified as Almog Sarusi, Alex Lobanov, Carmel Gat, Ori Danino, Eden Yerushalmi and Hersh Goldberg-Polin. The captives’ families have criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his handling of the situation, calling for a ceasefire deal to release the remaining captives.
Hamas official Izzat al-Risheq claimed the captives were killed in Israeli air strikes and accused the United States of bias in the conflict. President Joe Biden expressed outrage over the deaths and pledged to work towards securing the release of the remaining hostages.
Israel has been accused of refusing to strike a deal to secure the release of the captives, leading to their deaths. Menachem Klein, a political science professor, blamed Netanyahu’s government for the deaths and criticized their refusal to negotiate with Hamas. Despite a ceasefire deal proposed by Biden in May, Netanyahu rejected the offer.
Among the deceased captives was Carmel Gat, whose cousin Gil Dickmann had been protesting daily for the release of the remaining captives. Dickmann’s aunt was also killed during the initial attacks in October. Around 100 captives are still believed to be held in Gaza, with Hamas demanding a ceasefire as a condition for their release.
The International Criminal Court has sought arrest warrants for Netanyahu and his Defence Minister for war crimes, along with warrants for two Hamas leaders. The situation remains tense as Israel continues its assault on Gaza, leading to mounting casualties and international condemnation.
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