'We must return them all, the living and those for whom it is our responsibility to bring them home to Israel for burial'
JERUSALEM – The Israel Defense Forces announced Thursday its troops had found – and repatriated on Wednesday – the bodies of five Israelis killed and taken hostage during Hamas’ vicious massacres of Oct. 7.
IDF soldiers Sgt. Kiril Brodski, 19, and Staff Sgt. Tomer Yaakov Ahimas, 20, as well as Oren Goldin, 33, Maya Goren, 56, and Ravid Katz, 51, had all previously been declared dead, although their bodies continued to be held in Gaza until Wednesday.
According to a joint IDF and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) statement, “precise intelligence” was gathered through the Shin Bet’s interrogation of detained terrorists, among other pieces of intelligence. A combination of the IDF’s elite special forces 98th Division and Shin Bet agents pinpointed and recovered their remains in Khan Younis.
It is not thought the troops encountered armed resistance during the operation to extract the remains, which were found in a tunnel. Israel’s military earlier this week began a new offensive in the city to root out Hamas fighters who had reentered it.
During an IDF operation led by ISA field analysts and coordinators, the bodies of the murdered hostage Maya Goren, and of the fallen soldiers held captive MSG (Res.) Oren Goldin, SSGT Tomer Ahimas, SGT Kiril Brodski and SGM (Res.) Ravid Aryeh Katz were rescued from the Khan Yunis… pic.twitter.com/UEQ2B4WCPa
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) July 25, 2024
“Alongside the operational effort, the IDF’s directorate for the missing and captives worked with the Institute for Forensic Science and the Israel Police to identify the bodies and inform the families,” Shin Bet said in a statement.
A video clip of the bodies – which were tightly wrapped in what looked like plastic garbage sacks – and which were neatly arrayed in an APC, appeared online. The reserve soldier who filmed it was handed a 10-day prison sentence by the commander of the 98th Division, and was permanently dismissed from duty for actions “completely against” military protocol.
“The IDF views such incidents with severity, and condemns behavior that endangers the security of our forces, and harms the families of the hostages,” the military said, according to the Times of Israel.
The Shin Bet security agency releases images from the operation to recover the bodies of five Israeli hostages from the Gaza Strip yesterday. pic.twitter.com/rAUjshf9T6
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) July 25, 2024
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog delivered an emotional message on X:
“Our hearts are with the Katz, Goldin, Goren, Ahimas and Brodski families – as soon as it became known about the recovery of their loved ones’ bodies – soldiers and civilians from the Gaza Strip. I thank the IDF soldiers, Shin Bet and Security Services personnel who act with determination and bravery to return the male and female hostages.”
“We must return them all, the living and those for whom it is our responsibility to bring them home to Israel for burial.”
“May the memories of Ravid, Oren, Maya, Tomer, and Kiril, be blessed.”
ליבנו עם משפחות כץ, גולדין, גורן, אחימס וברודצקי, עם היוודע דבר חילוץ גופות יקיריהם – חיילים ואזרחים – מרצועת עזה. אני מודה ללוחמי צה״ל, שב״כ וכוחות הביטחון שפועלים בנחישות ובאומץ להחזרת החטופות והחטופים. חובתנו להחזיר את כולם – החיים, ואלו שעלינו להביא לקבר ישראל.
יהי זכרם של…
— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) July 25, 2024
The retrieval of these five bodies means there are still some 111 captives remaining in Gaza, including the 39 the IDF has already declared dead, out of the 251 who were taken to the coastal enclave on Oct. 7 more than 290 days ago.
Maya Goren was a beloved kindergarten teacher from Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of the worst-hit locations on that “Black Sabbath.” There is a very affecting image of her tending to baby Kfir Bibas, the then–nine-month-old baby taken into Hamas captivity, along with his four-year-old brother and his distraught parents.
Maya Goren and Kfir Bibas. Israel rescued her body from Hamas captivity in Gaza today. pic.twitter.com/h9VAzyqePY
— raz sauber – רז זאובר (@raz_sauber) July 24, 2024
Maya, who was in the kindergarten looking after children when the barbarous hordes descended on her home, was critically wounded although apparently still alive, and whisked across the border to Gaza. She is known to have been murdered some time after that.
Maya’s husband, Avner, was also killed inside the couple’s home. Although her family already sat shiva – the traditional seven days of mourning following – in December, she will now be laid to rest next to her husband, in a dignified burial.
Sgt. Kiril Brodski, was from Ramat Gan, and served in the brigade commander’s command post, and was killed on Oct. 7. In November, it was announced he had been murdered on the day of the attacks and his body was taken to Gaza.
Staff Sgt. Tomer Yaakov Ahimas, fell during fierce battles in Nirim. He along with Sgt. Brodski was part of the command post team of Col. Assaf Hamami, commander of the Southern Brigade in the Gaza Division – who was also killed – as they fought valiantly to contain the waves of terrorists.
Oren Goldin, was born in Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak. He was married to Oshrit and together they raised two-year-old twins – Aviv and Ilay. He was kidnapped along with three other members of the kibbutz’s emergency squad, including his brother-in-law – Tal Haimi, another Oct. 7 victim.
Ravid Katz lived in Kibbutz Nir Oz. He leaves behind three children – Shahar, Shira, and little Alma, only six months old – and his partner, Revital.
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