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JERUSALEM, June 22, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - 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.

Samerano's father had announced earlier Sunday that his son's body, which was 
taken into Gaza after he was killed in a kibbutz by the territory on October 
7, 2023 had been recovered by the Israeli army.

He paid tribute to "the brave soldiers of the IDF (Israeli military) and the 
Shin Bet" security service in a message posted on Instagram.

The Israeli campaign group the Hostages and Missing Families Forum described 
Samerano as "a talented DJ who just wanted to make music, have fun, and 
travel".

Keidar, a 71-year-old mother of three, was a resident of a resident of 
Kibbutz Beeri -- where over a 100 people were killed.

Levinson, a 19-year-old tank commander, "engaged and fought terrorists on the 
morning of October 7 and fell in combat," a statement from the military said.

Following the news, the forum repeated their frequent calls for the release 
of the remaining hostages in Gaza, writing on social media: "The hostages 
have no time. We must bring them ALL home, Now!".

The attack by Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel in October 2023 
resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP 
tally based on official figures.

Of the 251 hostages seized during the assault, 49 are still held in Gaza, 
including 27 the Israeli military says are dead.

Released hostages have reported that they were beaten and tortured by Hamas 
militants, while held in isolation in tunnels snaking underneath Gaza.

Keith Siegel, a 66-year-old Israeli-American, told of experiencing and seeing 
various forms of abuse while in captivity during a recent interview with AFP.

One of the locations where Siegel was held was so far underground that he was 
"gasping for breath", he recalled.

Israel's retaliatory military campaign against Hamas has killed at least 
55,908 people, mostly civilians, according to the Gaza health ministry in the 
Hamas-run territory. The UN considers these figures reliable.

On Sunday, Israel's President Isaac Herzog called for the "urgent release" of 
the remaining hostages after the United States carried out strikes on Iranian 
nuclear facilities.

"This brave step serves the security and safety of the entire free world. I 
hope it will lead to a better future for the Middle East - and help advance 
the urgent release of our hostages held in captivity in Gaza," Herzog wrote 
on X.