Israeli forces retrieved the bodies of five hostages from a tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday, the military reported yesterday. This discovery comes amid increasing international and domestic calls for a cease-fire that could facilitate the release of the remaining captives. Israeli officials state that 115 hostages remain in Gaza, including about 40 presumed dead.
The bodies were found in a zone around Khan Younis, previously designated by Israel as a safe humanitarian area. Israel has launched a new military operation in Khan Younis this week, resulting in at least 30 deaths and dozens of injuries over a 24-hour period, according to local health officials.
President Biden met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, where their brief show of camaraderie belied underlying tensions regarding the Gaza war and U.S. efforts to broker a cease-fire. “We’ve got a lot to talk about,” Biden said.
Vice President Kamala Harris expressed strong support for Israel’s right to defend itself, while also highlighting the high civilian casualties. She stated, “far too many innocent civilians” had died and vowed to “not be silent” about the suffering of Gazans.
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