The bodies of three hostages taken from Israel after they were killed on October 7 were recovered in an overnight military operation in Gaza, the Israeli army and a group representing hostage families said on Friday.

Hanan Yablonka, Michel Nisenbaum, and Orión Hernández Radoux were killed on the day of the Hamas massacres in Israel and then taken across the border to Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said.

They were brought back to Israel after a joint operation by the army and the intelligence services in Jabalia, in northern Gaza.

“We will continue operating to bring all of our hostages back home,” the IDF said in a statement.

The Hostage Families Forum said the return of the three men was “another heartbreak.

“Their return for burial provides important closure for the family members, and efforts must be made to bring all the murdered hostages back to Israel,” it said.

Ms Radoux, 30, and Mr Yablonka, a 42-year-old from Tel Aviv, had been attending the Nova electronic music festival, where the attackers killed hundreds of revellers, army spokesman Daniel Hagari and the forum said.

According to the forum, Ms Radoux, a Mexican-French citizen, was the partner of German-Israeli Shani Louk.

Her body was found a week ago in the Gaza Strip. She was also murdered on October 7.

Mr Nisenbaum was a 59-year-old Israeli-Brazilian citizen from the southern Israel city of Sderot, Mr Hagari said.

Of the 250 people taken hostage, around 125 are believed to still be held captive in Gaza.

At least a third of them are presumed dead. 

(dpa/NAN)