Israel’s military announced Friday it has recovered the bodies of three hostages, reports Reuters.
The hostages were identified as Shani Louk, 22; Amit Buskila, 28; and Itzhak Gelerenter, 56. All three were killed by Hamas while fleeing the Nova Music Festival held in October near the Gaza border, per The Associated Press.
“They were celebrating life in the Nova music festival and they were murdered by Hamas,” Israel Defense Forces spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in a press conference in Tel Aviv, per CNN.
Hagari said the “bodies were taken into Gaza,” per Reuters.
The bodies were identified by military officials taken to medical professionals for forensic examination, Hagari said. Families were notified.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was “heartbroken for the great loss,” per a statement shared on X.
“All our hearts are with them in this hour of grieving,” Netanyahu continued. “We will return all our hostages, the dead and the alive alike. I congratulate our brave forces who, with determined action, have returned our sons and daughters home.”
On Oct. 7, Hamas-led militants took around 250 people hostage and killed more than 1,200 people, per CNN. About half of those hostages have since been freed. Israel says roughly 130 hostages are still captive in Gaza, 40 of which are presumed dead.
“No father would want to hear this news,” Shani Louk’s father, Nissim Louk, said in a statement shared with NBC News. “We knew that she was murdered. Today the army officers came to our house and told us the news. They showed us pictures of Shani who still looked great.
“Her happy life was cut short. She was a special person.”