IDF Spokesperson RADM Daniel Hagari reported on Saturday that forces have eliminated two Hamas terrorists who held the six hostages murdered in captivity in Gaza — Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Uri Danino, Almog Sarusi, Carmel Gat and Alex Lobanov — in a tunnel near Rafah.
“This evening, we updated the families of Hersh, Eden, Ori, Alex, Almog, and Carmel, may their memories be a blessing, that we eliminated two terrorists who had held them hostage in a tunnel in the Rafah area," Hagari said.
“The day after the hostages were murdered, troops from the 162nd Division identified two terrorists emerging from an underground tunnel shaft in the Tel al-Sultan area and eliminated them during an encounter. After investigating the findings from the tunnel and equipment on the terrorists, we found DNA evidence and several items belonging to the terrorists we eliminated,” he added.
“Based on the findings and the information available to us, these terrorists that were eliminated were the same terrorists who were in the tunnel where the bodies of the six hostages were discovered. The findings show they were there when they were murdered and we are investigating their involvement in the murder.
“Should we obtain further information, we will first update the families and then the public. We will pursue and reach everyone responsible for this heinous murder, and we will not stop until we reach them all,” Hagari noted.
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From top left clockwise: Ori Danino, Eden Yerushalmi, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Almog Sarusi, Carmel Gat and Alex Lobanov
(Photo: Courtesy)
Liel Avraham, Uri Danino’s partner, said, "We had no doubt that the IDF would hold the murderers accountable. This closure doesn’t bring satisfaction or comfort. They were supposed to come back alive. Their elimination is a moral and obvious duty."
The bodies of the six were found on August 31. According to the IDF investigation, Hamas lookouts noticed soldiers approaching the tunnel and ordered the terrorists to murder the six hostages a day or two before their deaths. The terrorists shot the hostages at close range.