As Israel recovers the bodies of three hostages, how many are still in Gaza? : NPR

Israel announced on Sunday that the bodies of three additional hostages, who were part of the group taken by Hamas in the Oct. 7 attack, have been recovered. This attack sparked a 20-month conflict in the Gaza Strip.

The individuals were identified as Yonatan Samerano, 21; Ofra Keidar, 70; and Shay Levinson, 19. They all perished during the initial assault and were taken into Gaza. Kobi Samerano shared in a Facebook post that his son’s remains were returned on what would have been Yonatan’s 23rd birthday.

No specific details regarding the operation were provided by the military. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu affirmed Israel’s commitment to retrieving the remaining hostages, even as a new military campaign against Iran unfolds.

Militants associated with Hamas caused the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals, mostly civilians, and took 251 hostages during the Oct. 7 incident. Over 55,000 Palestinians in Gaza, predominantly women and children, have lost their lives in the subsequent conflict, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.

Key Points Regarding the Hostages:

Total hostages captured on Oct. 7, 2023: 251

Hostages taken before the Oct. 7 attack: 4, including 2 individuals who entered Gaza in 2014 and 2015, and the bodies of 2 soldiers killed in the 2014 war

Hostages released in exchanges or other deals: 148, with 8 confirmed dead

Bodies of hostages retrieved by Israeli forces: 49

Hostages rescued alive: 8

Hostages still in captivity: 50, with Israel suspecting 27 to be deceased. Netanyahu has expressed uncertainties regarding the fate of several others.

The hostages currently in captivity include four non-Israelis: 2 Thais and 1 Tanzanian who have been verified as deceased, along with a Nepalese captive.