Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated: "In an operation carried out by the IDF and the Shin Bet in the Gaza Strip, the bodies of two of our hostages were returned to Israel — Yair Yaakov, of blessed memory, and another hostage whose name has not yet been cleared for publication (his family has been notified). Yair Yaakov was murdered and abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz by Islamic Jihad on October 7, 2023.
"Together with all the citizens of Israel, my wife and I extend our deepest condolences to the families who have lost their most precious loved ones. I thank the soldiers and commanders for yet another successful execution of the sacred mission to bring our hostages home. We will not rest or be silent until we bring all our hostages home — both the living and the fallen," he added.
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