Dr Mike Evans

Israel recovers bodies of five citizens from Gaza killed on Oct. 7 By Dr Mike Evans

The IDF announced early Thursday that it had recovered the bodies of murdered hostage Maya Goren and four fallen soldiers.

Master Sergeant (Res.) Oren Goldin, Staff Sergeant Tomer Ahimas, Sergeant Major (Res.) Ravid Aryeh Katz, and Sergeant Kiril Brodski were named as the recovered individuals. The bodies were retrieved from the Khan Younis area during a joint operation with Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) field analysts and coordinators.

Maya Goren, a longtime kindergarten teacher at Kibbutz Nir Oz, lived there with her husband Avner Goren and their four children. Avner was killed during her kidnapping on October 7. The IDF later confirmed she was murdered the same day and her body taken to Gaza.

Oren Goldin, a Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak’s emergency response team member, lived there with his wife Oshrit and twins Aviv and Ili. Initially thought captured alive, the IDF confirmed his death on November 9.

Ravid Katz, an educator and father of three at Kibbutz Nir Oz, was initially believed captured alive but was announced dead in November.

Sergeant Kiril Brodski and Staff Sergeant Tomer Ahimas, both active-duty IDF soldiers, fell during combat with Hamas terrorists. Their bodies were also taken to Gaza.

The families were notified hours before Thursday’s announcement. The rescue involved ISA and IDF soldiers from the Commando Brigade, units Yahalom and Egoz, under the 98th Division’s direction. According to the IDF, intelligence leading to the bodies came from Shin Bet (ISA) interrogations of terrorists and IDF intelligence.

The IDF and ISA “will continue to operate using all intelligence and operational means to fulfill the supreme mission of rescuing all hostages,” the IDF said. The Hostages and Missing Family Forum praised the IDF’s actions: “The rescue of the bodies of Maya, Kiril, Tomer, Oren, and Ravid is an important and decisive military move that allows their families an important closing of the circle and eternal rest for the murdered.”

The group called on Prime Minister Netanyahu to secure the immediate return of remaining hostages. Israeli officials believe 111 hostages abducted by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza, with 39 confirmed dead by the IDF.