Latest news with #YonatanSamerano
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Politics
- Irish Times
Israel recovers bodies of three hostages from Gaza
Israeli forces have recovered the bodies of three hostages that had been held in the Gaza Strip since the Palestinian militant group Hamas's 2023 attack, the military and prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu said on Sunday. The hostages were identified as civilians Ofra Keidar and Yonatan Samerano, and soldier Shay Levinson. They were killed on the day of the attack , on October 7th, 2023, the military said. With their retrieval, 50 hostages now remain in Gaza, only 20 of whom are believed to be alive. The abduction of Mr Samerano (21) at the time of his death, by a man later identified by Israeli officials as a worker at the UN's Palestinian refugee agency Unrwa , was caught on CCTV. READ MORE About 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage during the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel, according to Israeli authorities. The subsequent Israeli campaign against Hamas in Gaza has since killed more than 55,000 Palestinians, according to health authorities in the Hamas-run strip, displaced almost the entire 2.3 million population, plunged the enclave into humanitarian crisis and left much of the territory in ruins. [ The beaches here in Israel are full. Just an hour's drive away Palestinians are starving Opens in new window ] Meanwhile in the UK, home secretary Yvette Cooper is expected to move to proscribe Palestine Action in coming days after an incident on Friday at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire when two aircraft were spray-painted. Trade secretary Jonathan Reynolds said on Sunday it was the fourth attack by the group on key UK defence assets and that those interfering over a period of time with defence infrastructure should expect 'a very robust response'. 'I would also say those people do no service to the Palestinian cause, which is a noble one,' Mr Reynolds told the BBC. But reports of a move to proscribe the group, which would in effect label it as a terrorist organisation, have been met criticism from some, including MPs, Amnesty International and former Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf. A Thames Valley police investigation into the incident has been taken over by counter-terrorism police, while the ministry of defence said it was reviewing security at its bases. Palestine Action released a short video showing two people driving electric scooters unimpeded inside the airbase at night and spraying two military planes. The group said it had targeted RAF Voyager aircraft used for transport and refuelling, and that 'activists have interrupted Britain's direct participation in the commission of genocide and war crimes across the Middle East'. [ Dublin school cancels 'Prayer for Palestine Day' amid 'differing opinions' Opens in new window ] During a protest march in London on Saturday, Mr Yousaf accused the UK government of 'abusing' anti-terror laws against Palestine Action. He later said on X: 'If the UK Government believes those protesting against the atrocities in Gaza are terrorists, but those killing children should be supported and provided with weapons, then this Government has not only lost its way, it has lost its conscience.' Palestine Action was founded in 2020 by Huda Ammori, whose father is Palestinian, and Richard Barnard, a left-wing activist. The organisation, which focuses its campaigns on multinational arms dealers and corporate banks, recently targeted a factory in Shenstone, Staffordshire, claiming it made drones for the Israeli army. – Reuters, Guardian
LBCI
3 hours ago
- Politics
- LBCI
Israeli army says bodies of three hostages recovered in Gaza
The Israeli military said Sunday that it had recovered the bodies of three hostages in Gaza more than 20 months after they were abducted by Hamas militants. "In a special operation... the bodies of the hostages Ofra Keidar, Yonatan Samerano, and Staff Sergeant Shay Levinson were recovered from the Gaza Strip yesterday," the military said in a statement. AFP
New York Times
3 hours ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Israeli Soldiers Recovered the Bodies of Three Hostages in Gaza
The bodies of three Israelis taken hostage by Hamas have been recovered, the Israeli government said on Sunday. The announcement jolted Israelis' focus back to the war in Gaza, which had been overshadowed by the escalating crisis with Iran. Israeli officials identified the three people as Yonatan Samerano; Ofra Keidar; and Shay Levinson, an Israeli soldier. All three were killed during the Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, and their bodies were taken back to Gaza as bargaining chips. Approximately 50 out of the roughly 250 hostages captured during Hamas's attack on southern Israel are believed to still be in Gaza. About 20 of those are believed to still be alive, while the rest are presumed dead, according to the Israeli authorities. Israel's war in Gaza has continued apace over the past week, even as most Israelis — along with much of the rest of the international community — have turned their attention to the war with Iran. More than 500 people have been killed in Gaza since the war with Iran began over a week ago, according to the Gaza health ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Gazans are still living through a seemingly endless humanitarian crisis in which finding enough food and water has become a daily struggle. Desperate scenes of looting of aid trucks have become a near-daily occurrence amid widespread hunger and lawlessness. Israel and Hamas observed a two-month cease-fire earlier this year that saw 30 hostages freed and the bodies of eight more returned in exchange for more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners. A renewed Israeli assault ended the truce in March. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Sky News
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Sky News
Israeli forces recover remains of three hostages from Gaza
Israeli forces have recovered the remains of three hostages from the Gaza Strip. The military identified the remains as those of Yonatan Samerano, 21; Ofra Keidar, 70; and Shay Levinson, 19. All three were killed when Hamas militants stormed across the border into Israel on 7 October 2023, an act which ignited the ongoing war. The militant group still holds 50 hostages, of whom only 20 are believed to be alive. "The campaign to return the hostages continues consistently and is happening alongside the campaign against Iran," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. Israel's military did not provide any details about the recovery operation. Mr Samerano's father Kobi said in a Facebook post that his son's remains were returned on what would have been his 23rd birthday. The Hostages Families Forum, which is the main organisation representing the families of the hostages, has repeatedly called for a deal to release the remaining captives. "Particularly against the backdrop of current military developments and the significant achievements in Iran, we want to emphasise that bringing back the remaining 50 hostages is the key to achieving any sort of victory," it said. Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in return for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Mr Netayahu has rejected the group's terms, saying Israel will continue the war until all hostages are returned and Hamas is defeated or disarmed. Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 people during the 7 October 2023 attack. More than half of the hostages have been returned in ceasefire agreements or other deals, eight have been rescued alive and Israeli forces have recovered dozens of bodies. 1:25 Israel's war in Gaza has killed more than 55,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, which has said women and children make up more than half of the dead. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israeli forces recover remains of three hostages from Gaza
Israeli forces have recovered the remains of three hostages from the Gaza Strip. The military identified the remains as those of Yonatan Samerano, 21; Ofra Keidar, 70; and Shay Levinson, 19. All three were killed when Hamas militants stormed across the border into Israel on 7 October 2023, an act which ignited the ongoing war. The militant group still holds 50 hostages, of whom only 20 are believed to be alive. "The campaign to return the hostages continues consistently and is happening alongside the campaign against Iran," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. Israel's military did not provide any details about the recovery operation. Mr Samerano's father Kobi said in a Facebook post that his son's remains were returned on what would have been his 23rd birthday. The Hostages Families Forum, which is the main organisation representing the families of the hostages, has repeatedly called for a deal to release the remaining captives. "Particularly against the backdrop of current military developments and the significant achievements in Iran, we want to emphasise that bringing back the remaining 50 hostages is the key to achieving any sort of victory," it said. Read more: Hamas has said it will only release the remaining hostages in return for more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Mr Netayahu has rejected the group's terms, saying Israel will continue the war until all hostages are returned and Hamas is defeated or disarmed. Hamas-led militants killed some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 people during the 7 October 2023 attack. More than half of the hostages have been returned in ceasefire agreements or other deals, eight have been rescued alive and Israeli forces have recovered dozens of bodies. Israel's war in Gaza has killed more than 55,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, which has said women and children make up more than half of the dead. The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants in its count.
