Jerusalem, May 18 (IANS): The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israeli Security Agency (ISA) have recovered in a joint night operation the bodies of three Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip, as announced by IDF Spokesman Daniel Hagari.

The three Israelis, Shani Louk, Amit Buskila, and Itzik Gelenter, were kidnapped and brutally murdered on October 7 last year during a Hamas attack in southern Israel while trying to escape from the Nova music festival, and their bodies were taken into the Gaza Strip, Xinhua news agency reported, citing Hagari.

The IDF stated on Friday that the operation was based on information obtained through investigations of Hamas militants arrested in the Gaza Strip and intelligence guidance provided by the Military Intelligence Directorate.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the news "heartbreaking." "We will return all of our hostages, the living and the deceased alike," he said.

According to Israel, an estimated 129 hostages remain in captivity in the Gaza Strip, some of whom are no longer alive.