The IDF on Monday published recordings from the operation that retrieved the bodies of hostages Yair Yaakov and Aviv Atzili both from Kibbutz Nir Oz, as operations continued across the Gaza Strip.
There are still 53 hostages held by Hamas terrorists in the enclave.
The bodies were retrieved last week. Yaakov’s family made an announcement immediately, while Atzili’s family waited several days to make it public.
Bringing home the hostages
Speaking to his troops, Col. M, the commander of the 188th Brigade, said last week, “Not only is this a privilege, it is born of a deep sense of moral and existential responsibility to return every Israeli hostage to their family and their homeland.”
He added, “Bringing the bodies of our brothers to proper burial is our human and national duty.”
Several freed hostages took to social media over the last few days to lament what they said were conditions that were so much worse than what Israelis are experiencing right now - to hostages stuck underground in Hamas tunnels, trying to survive.
IDF continue operations in the Gaza Strip
Alongside the strikes in Iran, security forces are continuing at full capacity to operate in the Gaza Strip, on the Northern border, in the West Bank, and against the Houthis in Yemen, IDF Spokesman Brig.-Gen. Effie Defrin told the public in a press briefing on Monday.
“We are working around the clock to ensure the safety of Israeli civilians... hard days await us, but we will persevere,” said Defrin.
In the North, the IDF struck and killed a Hezbollah fighter in the Hula area in southern Lebanon, the military said.