Israeli forces say they recovered six captives' bodies from Gaza
Israeli forces said they recovered the bodies of six captives from Gaza on Monday following an operation in Khan Younis.
The military named Yagev Buchshtav, Alexander Dancyg, Avraham Munder, Yoram Metzger, Nadav Popplewell and Chaim Perry as those whose bodies were found.
All but Munder had already been announced by the military as having died in Gaza.
The kibbutz of Nir Oz released separate statements confirming the extraction of Yoram Metzger and Haim Perry's bodies.
Nir Oz said the development is "the biggest proof of the importance of a deal that will return our boys and girls as soon as possible, before it is too late".
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When confirming the extraction of Perry's body, the kibbutz's statement added that he was "abandoned to his death in captivity".
On 7 October, Hamas and other Palestinian groups launched a surprise attack on southern Israel, killing around 1,068 Israelis and 71 foreigners, most of whom were civilians. Around 250 others were taken captive back to Gaza.
Israeli forces have since killed at least 40,173 Palestinians in the enclave, according to the Palestinian health ministry.
About 50 captives have been confirmed dead in 10 months of war.
'Blood is on Netanyahu's hands'
Israel has said the majority of those held in Gaza were killed by their captors, or in the case of five captives announced dead on Wednesday, slain in the fighting on 7 October. However, Hamas says many of the Israelis killed in captivity were victims of Israeli bombing.
Family members of captives have become increasingly critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and demanded the agreement of a deal with Hamas that would see their relatives released.
'The blood is on Netanyahu's hands personally. He had so many opportunities to bring them [back], and if he wanted, they'd be here'
- Shahar Mor, Avraham Munder's nephew
Munder's nephew, Shahar Mor, told Haaretz his family last saw signs that Munder was alive in January or February.
"From October and until March, he survived that hell," he said, going on to blame the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, for his uncle's death.
"He heard, he knew. He heard the members of Knesset...the blood is on Netanyahu's hands personally. He had so many opportunities to bring them [back], and if he wanted, they'd be here."
Reut Even-Tov, the daughter of Perry's widow, also told Israeli Army Radio that she understood his death had been caused by Israeli military activity in Gaza.
"There is no bottom line," she said. "There were opportunities to get him out alive – and they were squandered because of decisions made by people.
"He should have been brought back from Gaza alive. This is the ongoing abandonment, the second one, which I think has to be what matters this morning."
Israel and Hamas have been engaged in indirect talks since January to negotiate a deal that would end the war on Gaza and facilitate a prisoner exchange between the two sides.
They have gone back and forth over the details of a three-phased outline for the agreement, presented by US, Qatari and Egyptian mediators.
Critics of the Netanyahu government have said that the prime minister is stalling negotiations and is not interested in a ceasefire or bringing a close to the war because it would end the deeply unpopular leader's political career, as he faces accountability for the 7 October Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel as well as a major corruption trial.
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