Israeli forces find bodies in Gaza, suspected to be hostages
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has reportedly discovered several bodies in the Gaza Strip, which could be the remains of kidnapped Israeli hostages. The IDF is currently working on extracting and identifying these bodies. However, official confirmation is still pending. "At this stage, the forces are still operating in the area and carrying out a process to extract and identify the bodies," the IDF said in a statement as per Times of Israel.
Activist group calls for protest against Netanyahu government
The announcement, which followed the recent return of other captive bodies from the Strip, elicited strong reactions against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government. They accused Netanyahu of failing to negotiate a deal to return the hostages, thereby abandoning them to their deaths. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, an activist group representing many relatives of abductees, said it planned to announce preparations for huge rallies on Sunday as the crisis entered its 12th month.
US President Biden confirms contact with Israeli officials
United States President Joe Biden also reacted to the development as he exited a church in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. He noted that there was uncertainty regarding the exact number of bodies found and that there was "a lot of speculation" regarding their identities. "I'm not at liberty to do that at this moment, until the families are notified," he said.
Rising death toll and escalating conflict in Gaza
Biden also stated that he believed negotiators were on the verge of reaching another ceasefire, which would include the release of the remaining captives. "I think we're on the verge of having an agreement," he said. Since October 7, Israel's military offensive in Gaza has killed over 40,000 Palestinians and injured 94,000, the enclave's health ministry said in a statement on Saturday. The war was triggered when Palestinian terrorist group Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 and taking about 250 hostages.
