Israel recovers bodies of two captives as Gaza death toll mounts

Israel announced on Thursday that its military had recovered the bodies of two captives held in Gaza, as Hamas condemned the United States for vetoing a UN resolution calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire.

The two captives were identified as Judy Weinstein-Hagi and Gadi Hagi. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed the recovery and addressed the families, saying: "Together with all the people of Israel, my wife and I send our heartfelt condolences to the beloved families."

"We will not rest until all our hostages, both the living and the fallen, are brought home," he added.

The overnight operation followed intelligence obtained during a Shin Bet interrogation of a Palestinian man detained in Gaza, according to Israeli media.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum welcomed the recovery, stating that it "brings healing to our uncertainty". The group urged renewed efforts to secure the release of remaining captives, saying: "There is no need to wait another 608 agonising days."

A report in the Times of Israel said the bodies were recovered from Khan Younis in southern Gaza and had been held by the Mujahideen Brigades, the same faction reportedly holding Shiri Bibas and her sons, Ariel and Kfir.

According to Israeli figures, 56 captives are still believed to be held in Gaza, following the abduction of 251 people during the Hamas-led attack in October 2023.

Hamas slams US veto

Meanwhile, Hamas issued a strong condemnation of the US decision to block a UN Security Council resolution that called for a full and immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

"This move is further proof of the US administration’s blind bias toward the Israeli occupation," Hamas said. "We strongly condemn the defiance of global will, as 14 out of 15 Security Council members supported the resolution."

The group said the veto demonstrated "arrogant disregard for international law" and accused the US of rejecting all international efforts to stop the killing of Palestinians.

Hamas also criticised the Security Council's failure to ensure humanitarian aid reaches Gaza amid Israel’s ongoing siege, saying it "raises fundamental questions about the credibility of international institutions and the legitimacy of global legal frameworks".

The developments came as Israel continued its bombing campaign across Gaza. According to the territory’s civil defence agency, at least 10 people were killed on Thursday morning. The strikes hit an area where displaced civilians were sheltering in Khan Younis, as well as homes in Gaza City and the central town of Deir el-Balah.

The previous evening, an entire family was killed in a strike on Khan Younis, the Palestinian Wafa news agency reported. The attack hit a home on Roni Street in the al-Mawasi area. Rescue workers, operating with limited equipment, pulled the bodies from beneath the rubble.

Ramy Abdu, the chairman of rights group Euro-Med Human Rights, said on Wednesday that Israel also targeted civilians, including children.

"After civilians reached an area in Beit Lahia, they discovered three unidentified children executed by Israeli forces near Abbas Kilani. Due to the location’s danger and lack of ambulances, only one body was recovered; two remain," he said on X.

Conditions in Gaza continue to deteriorate, with widespread destruction and rising hunger. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) - a controversial private aid group backed by the US and Israel—has yet to reopen its distribution sites after shutting them earlier this week. The closure followed an incident in which Israeli forces opened fire on Palestinians waiting for aid near one of the group’s centres, killing scores.

On Wednesday, GHF said its distribution sites would not reopen at the usual time due to “maintenance and repair work” but gave no timeline for resumption.

Israel’s ongoing war on Gaza has killed more than 61,700 Palestinians and flattened entire neighbourhoods. Leading human rights organisations, including Amnesty International, have said the military campaign amounts to genocide.