The bodies of five hostages, including a woman and four soldiers, were recovered by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) from Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip during their ongoing offensive. The IDF located the bodies in a tunnel beneath a previously designated ‘humanitarian area’ where Gazan civilians were supposed to seek shelter. The bodies were identified as those of Maya Oren, a kindergarten teacher, and four Israeli soldiers who were killed during a surprise attack by Hamas on October 7. The IDF developed intelligence leading to the discovery of the bodies through interrogation of captured terrorists.
The IDF has now reduced the number of hostages held by Hamas from 120 to 115, estimating that a third of them are dead. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu informed Congress that Hamas initially took 255 hostages on October 7. Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that Israel is close to defeating Hamas militarily and creating a situation for a potential deal to free the remaining hostages.
Despite efforts to eliminate Hamas as a military organization, the terrorist group has persisted, prompting the IDF to launch the Khan Yunis offensive. Hamas has resorted to guerrilla hit-and-run tactics with smaller groups as their communication network has been disrupted, and many of their tunnels destroyed. The group’s current strategy appears to focus on survival, tying up Israeli forces, and inflicting losses.
Hamas launched projectiles from Khan Yunis’s humanitarian area on July 24, resulting in civilian casualties. The group’s transition to guerrilla tactics signals a shift in their approach as they adapt to Israeli military actions. Please rewrite this sentence.
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