Outrage in Israel as IDF discovers bodies in Gaza, believed to be missing October hostages

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced on Saturday, August 31, that its troops had discovered several bodies in the Gaza Strip, which are suspected to belong to hostages taken by the militant group Hamas on October 7. The Israeli military has cautioned that the remains are yet to be identified. “At this stage, the forces are still operating in the area and carrying out a process to extract and identify the bodies, which will last several hours,” stated the military.

This discovery follows the return of other bodies of captives from Gaza and has sparked increased outrage against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government. In response to growing public frustration, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a group representing the relatives of those abducted in Gaza, announced plans to organize significant protests on Sunday.

“Netanyahu abandoned the hostages. It is now a fact,” said the activist group as the war nears its 12th month. The group further warned, “Starting tomorrow, the country will tremble,” and called on the public to prepare for nationwide protests, claiming, “The country will grind to a halt. The abandonment is over.”

Escalating Criticism Against Netanyahu

The announcement of the discovery has intensified criticism against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Opposition figures have accused him of neglecting critical issues, including the plight of the hostages. Opposition Leader Yair Lapid criticized Netanyahu for focusing on “insignificant issues” while “our sons and daughters are being abandoned and dying in captivity.” Lapid further charged, “Not the Philadelphi Corridor nor the polio vaccines [in Gaza] interest him — just the coalition and preserving [the partnership with Bezalel] Smotrich and [Itamar] Ben Gvir.” He accused Netanyahu of “crushing the families and the nation of Israel” in his efforts to maintain his political alliances.

The Situation in Gaza: Hostages and Escalation

The discovery of these bodies comes just days after the Israeli military rescued one live witness, and other bodies of captives were returned from Gaza. Currently, it is reported that 103 of the 251 hostages taken by Hamas on October 7 remain in Gaza, along with the bodies of 33 individuals confirmed dead by the IDF. In late November, Hamas released 105 civilians during a weeklong truce, and four hostages were released before that.

As the families of the hostages prepare for mass protests, Israel is bracing for a tense period, with widespread discontent and criticism of the government’s handling of the hostage crisis continuing to grow.