Israel recovers the remains of three other hostages held by Hamas after the October 7 attacks

Israel recovered the bodies of three other hostages held by Hamas following the attack by the terrorist group against Israel in October 2023.

The remains of the three hostages were recovered by Israeli Defense Forces (FDI) during a special operation on Saturday and were identified as Ofra Keidar, Yonatan Samerano and Shay Levinson, according to the siege of the Otages and disappeared Families forum.

“Our hearts are with Keidar, Samerano and Levinson families today,” said the organization. “In addition to sorrow and pain, their return offers a certain comfort to families who waited in agony, uncertainty and doubt for 625 days.”

The group added that the return of all hostages is essential for national healing and recovery.

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Israeli defense forces also confirmed that the remains of the three hostages had been recovered from Gaza. The bodies of Keidar, Samerano and Levinson were recovered during a special operation carried out by the FDI and the Israeli security agency (ISA) on Saturday.

The IDF has credited “precise information received from the ISA, the hostage working group and the Directorate of Intelligence IDF” and declared that it exercises “condolences to families and will continue to make every effort possible to bring all the hostages”.

The FDIs recovered the bodies of three hostages – from left to right, Shay Levinson, Yonatan Samerano and Ofra Keidar – of Gaza in a special operation on Saturday June 21, 2025. (Getty Images; headquarters of the Families Hostage forum))

Keidar, a resident of Kibbutz Be’eri, was kidnapped on October 7, 2023 by Hamas terrorists “while walking in the usual morning in the fields she loved”, according to the hostage families forum.

She worked on a dairy farm for 30 years, taking care of newborns and “was a devoted worker with exceptional physical strength,” said the organization.

“Later, she moved to the local children’s zoo, where she worked for 15 years, and even after reaching retirement age, she never slowed down.”

Ofra Keidar’s body has been recovered by Israeli forces. She was 71 years old at the time of her death. (Siege of the Family Forum with hostages and missing)

“Whoever visited his house could see his greatest love, apart from his family – his dogs, in particular the poodles and take care of his garden and his interior plants,” added the forum.

The FDI noted that Keidar, who was 71 years old at the time of his death, “was the mother of three children and the wife of Shmuel Keidar, who was also murdered by Hamas terrorists in their house in Be’eri.”

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Samerano, who was 21 years old at the time of his death, “was brutally murdered and kidnapped from Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7, 2023 by Hamas terrorists, including an UNRWA employee, after having fled the Nova music festival”, according to the FDI.

Yonatan Samerano’s body was recovered by Israeli forces. He was 21 years old when he died. (Siege of the Family Forum with hostages and missing)

Yonatan, or “Yonati” as his friends and family called him, has always been surrounded by friends – a talented DJ who just wanted to make music, bring joy and travel, “said the hostage families forum.

“Even at his young age, he was an entrepreneur in the soul and a wise businessman who dreamed of developing his career in the production of events.”

Levinson, sergeant of staff and tanks in the battalion “Oz” (77) “, hired and fought terrorists on the morning of October 7 and fell into battle,” according to the IDF.

Shay Levinson’s body was recovered by Israeli forces. He was 19 years old at the time of his death. (Siege of the Family Forum with hostages and missing)

“It was then removed by Hamas terrorists.”

Levinson, who was 19 years old at the time of his death, is known as “a calm and exceptional young man – ambitious and motivated, who pushed himself to excel in sport and all the areas that interested him,” said the forum of hostage families.

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“Shay, a resident of Givat Avni in Lower Galilée, was an exceptional player of the volleyball team of Ms. Eilabun – a team which serves as a model for Jewish -Arab cooperation”, according to the organization.

“Shay has chosen to give up the possibility of receiving active athlete status and rather chose a significant combat service in the FDI.”