Israeli forces find bodies of 5 hostages in Gaza as fight turns toward Hezbollah

Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Thursday, July 25, that they have recovered the bodies of five Israeli hostages taken captive during the Oct. 7 terrorist attack in Israel by Hamas. The IDF identified the victims as a kindergarten teacher and four soldiers.

The recovery of the hostages’ bodies comes nine months into Israel’s war in Gaza and as many families of the remaining hostages are pressing the government to secure a cease-fire deal with Hamas to bring the rest of the hostages home.

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Israeli officials said that around 120 hostages are still believed to be held in Gaza, with about a third of them presumed dead.

As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with President Joe Biden on Thursday in Washington D.C., U.S. officials expressed optimism that closing the “final gaps” in a cease-fire deal in Gaza. The White House said that the framework of the deal is in place but implementation is still being worked out.

Meanwhile, another conflict between the IDF and Hezbollah is intensifying. Hezbollah released drone footage on Wednesday, July 24, that showed the inside of an Israeli air base. The video reportedly shows several sensitive areas, including aircraft fuel tanks, an Iron Dome missile defense platform and ammunition depots.

However, Israeli officials downplayed the incident, saying that the footage was captured by a drone designed solely for the purpose of photography and the incident did not impact base operations.

Lebanon said that fighting between Israeli forces and Hezbollah has caused around $2 billion in damages in its southern region. Lebanese officials said that Israel’s actions, such as alleged intentional burns, have displaced around 28,000 families.

Meanwhile, Israel’s northern region has reportedly suffered significant damage too. Israeli officials said that 43 settlements have been evacuated and more than 1,500 buildings, vehicles and infrastructure has been damaged by Hezbollah strikes.