A 59-year-old Yair "Yaya" Yaakov, who was kidnapped and killed during the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 invasion of southern Israel
(The Post News)- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israeli security forces have rescued the bodies of two hostages in southern Gaza, including 59-year-old Yair “Yaya” Yaakov, who was kidnapped and killed during the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 invasion of southern Israel
The bodies were rescued in an intelligence-driven operation in Khan Younis by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic security agency.
Yair Yaakov, a father of three and resident of Kibbutz Nir Oz, was killed in his home by Palestinian Islamic Jihad gunmen during the October 7 attack. His partner, Meirav Tal, and two sons, Or and Yagil, were abducted but later released in November 2023 during a temporary ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
The death of Yair Yaakov was made public for the first time by his son Yagil in an emotional post on Instagram. “Dad, I love you,” he wrote. “Sorry to have to say this. Waiting for your funeral. I knew that this day would come.” Yagil also thanked the IDF and Shin Bet and wished that the other hostages be released in an agreement “that doesn’t put soldiers in danger.”.
The mission was made possible due to precise intelligence provided by the Hostage Task Force and Intelligence Directorate, the IDF said. The second hostage who was rescued has not been named, though the family has been notified.
” Together with all citizens of Israel, my wife and I offer our sincerest condolences to the families who lost their beloved,” Netanyahu stated. “I thank the soldiers and the commanders for another successful completion of the sacred mission to return our hostages.”
The latest recoveries bring to five the number of hostages’ bodies retrieved by Israeli soldiers in the past week. They are in addition to Thai farmhand Nattapong Pinta, 35, whose body was found in Rafah, and Israeli-American couple Judi Weinstein Haggai, 70, and Gadi Haggai, 72, who were found in Khan Younis. All had been abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz on October 7 and were seemingly killed early in their captivity by militants of the Mujahideen Brigades.
53 hostages are currently believed to remain in Gaza. At least 20 are assumed to be alive.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum stated: “There are no words to describe the depth of this pain. The hostages have no time. We must bring them all home, now.”
While Tuesday saw Netanyahu claiming that “significant progress” had been made in ongoing talks to release remaining hostages. But a Hamas official, Mahmoud Mardawi, brushed off such claims as “illusive and misleading,” accusing Israel of destroying any real deal.
Since the beginning of the war, 202 hostages were freed 148 of them alive mainly under two temporary ceasefire agreements. Meanwhile, the death toll of Israel’s assault on Gaza has risen to at least 55,104 deaths, according to the Hamas-led health ministry in the enclave.
The battle continues to exact its heavy price on both sides as Israeli soldiers continue with missions to save all hostages and annihilate militant infrastructure across Gaza.
About the Author
