New details have come to light regarding the operation to recover the remains of hostages from Hamas tunnels in Gaza. The mission resulted in the return of the bodies of Yoram Metzger, Haim Peri, Avraham Munder, Alexander Dancyg, Nadav Popplewell, and Yagev Buchshtab.
According to Israel Defense Forces officials, the operation's primary objectives were to strike Hamas and locate the hostages' remains, with no expectation of finding survivors.
The mission commenced on Friday afternoon with the Paratroopers Brigade launching an offensive in the Khan Younis area. They secured strategic high points to gain a tactical advantage while the 75th Armored Battalion operated above ground. Simultaneously, Yahalom (the IDF's elite combat engineering unit) and Shin Bet operatives conducted underground operations.
Video: Footage from the mission to extract 6 hostages / Credit: IDF Spokesperson's Unit
Preliminary measures, including civilian evacuation and strategic use of firepower, enabled IDF forces to swiftly gain control of the area and access the underground tunnel network. This rapid entry was facilitated by intelligence provided by the Shin Bet and Unit 504, the Military Intelligence Directorate human intelligence unit.
Under the cover of darkness, IDF units entered the tunnel system at four predetermined locations simultaneously, guided by high-quality intelligence. At one of these entry points, a team discovered the hostages' remains after identifying concrete lining reminiscent of Hamas's concealment tactics from a previous body recovery operation. Upon breaching this lining, they uncovered a hidden tunnel section.
IDF sources describe the operation as brief but highly effective. The speed of execution was crucial, they emphasize, as Hamas is known to conceal and potentially relocate bodies to prevent their recovery.
The IDF also revealed that the tunnel network forms an interconnected system, allowing movement from Rafah in the south to the northern Gaza Strip. IDF officials noted that their forces had previously operated just a few hundred yards from this particular tunnel, which had already been targeted by airstrikes.
While the exact cause of death for the hostages remains undetermined, IDF officials reported finding the bodies of Hamas operatives near the hostages' remains. The complex where the bodies were discovered was guarded, with some guards retreating and others killed during the operation. Hamas weaponry was found throughout the complex, and the bodies of armed Hamas operatives were present at all entrances. Further into the tunnel system, the team located the area containing the hostages' remains, which were identifiable without the need for forensic examination in Israel. The news was made public on Tuesday morning.
IDF forces have recovered a total of 18 hostage bodies since the beginning of the war.
