In an event that reflects both Hamas's brutality and Israel's unwavering commitment to its soldiers, the terrorist group returned the remains of three Israeli soldiers: Colonel Asaf Hamami, Captain Omer Neutra, and Sergeant Oz Daniel.
Israeli authorities confirmed their identities on Monday morning, after exhaustive forensic analyses, providing bitter consolation to their families after more than a year of uncertainty.
All three were killed on October 7, 2023, while defending the country during the massacre perpetrated by Hamas against communities in southern Israel, in which more than 1,200 people were brutally murdered and hundreds were kidnapped.
Their bodies were taken to the Gaza Strip, thus continuing the terrorist group's inhumane policy of using both the living and the dead as instruments of political pressure.
Colonel Hamami, 40 years old, commander of the Southern Brigade of the Gaza Division, fell fighting in defense of Kibbutz Nirim, one of the first communities attacked that morning.
Captain Neutra, 21 years old, a lone soldier originally from New York and a member of the 77th Battalion of the 7th Armored Brigade, and Sergeant Daniel, 19, who served in the same tank, died in combat in the same area.
The bodies were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross before being transferred to Israeli territory. The Israel Defense Forces personally notified the families once identification was completed.
"The Prime Minister's Office shares the deep pain of the Hamami, Neutra, and Daniel families, as well as that of all the families of the fallen hostages," the Israeli government said in a statement, reaffirming that Israel remains "determined, committed, and working tirelessly to bring back all the deceased hostages who still remain in Gaza to give them burial in Israel."
Eight hostages' bodies remain held by Hamas. This is not the first time the organization has attempted to manipulate Israeli sensitivity: on previous occasions, it has delivered human remains that did not correspond to the mentioned hostages, seeking to confuse public opinion and undermine confidence in the negotiation processes.
Meanwhile, Israel honors its heroes and keeps its promise to leave no soldier behind. The return of Hamami, Neutra, and Daniel reminds the country—and the world—of the magnitude of the barbarity unleashed that October 7, and Israel's determination to continue demanding justice and humanity in the face of terrorism.
