Israeli forces located their remains during an operation in Khan
Younis. The IDF began a major operation on Monday to root out a Hamas resurgence in the southern Gaza city.
According to a joint IDF and Israel Security Agency statement, troops
obtained intelligence on the whereabouts of the bodies through
interrogation of Palestinian terrorists.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Thursday expressed gratitude to the security forces for their “determination and courage.”
“It is our duty to bring them all home—those who are alive, and those
who we must return for burial in Israel,” Herzog said, adding: “May the
memories of Ravid, Oren, Maya, Tomer and Kiril be blessed.”
Goren,
a kindergarten teacher, was taken from her home as thousands of
terrorists infiltrated the border on Oct. 7 and slaughtered 1,200
people, including her husband, Avner Goren. His body is still being held by Hamas.
The Israeli military confirmed on Dec. 1 that Maya Goren was
killed in Hamas captivity, without providing details on the
circumstances of her death.
The couple is survived by their four children—Assif, 25, Bar, 23, Gal, 21, and Dekel, 18. Bar and Dekel were in Kibbutz Nir Oz when Hamas attacked but survived, while Asif and Gal were staying elsewhere.
Maya Goren was also the teacher of 1-year-old Kfir Bibas, the youngest Israeli hostage, who has been in Hamas captivity for almost 300 days.
Israeli hostage Maya Goren, 56, with Kfir
Bibas, who was the youngest hostage taken by Hamas terrorists into Gaza
on Oct. 7, 2023.
Oren Goldin, a mechanic and member of Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak’s civilian defense team, was killed on Oct. 7.
In a statement released on Wednesday night, the kibbutz said: “Oren
was the first to leave that damn morning, even before we knew how
serious the danger lurking outside. In November, about a month and a
half in which we were hoping for a sign of life, we were informed that
Oren was killed on 7/10, and his body was being held captive.
“For almost 10 months, we read and wished for the day when his body
would be brought to Israel and we would be able to bury him in the home
he loved so much, Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak.”
Goldin is survived by his wife, Oshrit Masala, and their 2-year-old twins, Aviv and Ilay; his parents, Adi and Yair; and his siblings, Rani and Shai.
Ravid Katz was a member of the Kibbutz Nir Oz security team who fell fighting Palestinian terrorists on Oct. 7.
His wife and baby survived the assault, after hiding in their home for hours.
Katz’s death was confirmed on Nov. 28.
Kiril Brodski and Tomer Ahimas were killed in Kibbutz
Nirim on Oct. 7 while battling terrorists alongside IDF Col. Asaf
Hamami, the commander of the Gaza Division’s Southern Brigade. The
bodies of all three were taken to the Palestinian enclave.
Brodski and Ahimas were both declared dead in November.
Sgt. Kiril Brodski. Credit: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit.
Staff Sgt. Tomer Yaakov Ahimas. Credit: IDF.
The IDF’s decision to re-enter Khan Younis this week was driven by new intelligence on the existence of undiscovered Hamas tunnels in the area, as well as an uptick in rocket attacks.
The IDF informed Gaza residents on Monday that it was about to enter
the city, and called on the remaining population of eastern Khan Younis
to move to the newly adjusted humanitarian zone, using text messages,
phone calls and Arabic-language media broadcasts.
Since the IDF’s withdrawal from the area in April, Hamas has been
working to reconstruct munitions production centers and reestablish its
operational capabilities.
Israeli authorities estimate that 111 of the 251 hostages taken by
Hamas on Oct. 7 remain in Gaza, including the bodies of 39 who have been
confirmed dead by the IDF.
Hamas is also holding Israeli citizens Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, who crossed into Gaza separately and on their own accord a decade ago; as well as the bodies of two IDF soldiers, Oron Shaul and Hadar Goldin, who were killed in action during “Operation Protective Edge” in 2014.
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