Israel-Gaza latest: Bodies of three people killed at music festival, including Shani Louk, recovered in Gaza (2024)

Hamas says the US-built aid pier off Gaza's coast is noalternative to opening all land crossings under Palestiniansupervision.

It added that they reject any military presence onPalestinian land.

Trucks carrying aid rolled across the pier today for the first time in an operation the US says will scale up to 150 truckloads a day.

But Gaza is already on the brink of famine, according to international aid organisations.

Aid groups also say land crossings are much more effective, and at least 500 trucks a day are required to meet the basic needs of the population.

Israeli restrictions on border crossings and heavy fighting have hindered the delivery of food and other supplies.

An investigation has been launched after a 450kg bomb fell from an Israeli fighter jet into an Israeli town this morning, according to reports.

Images showed the munition landed close to homes in Yated.

The Israeli military said it was intended for Rafah and described the incident as "unusual", reported the Times of Israel.

"Air Force technical teams arrived at the scene and began an in-depth investigation of the incident."

The Rafah strike was carried out moments later, the military said.

Israeli strikes on Lebanon have killed at least five people including Lebanese militants, Hamas fighters and Syriancivilians, security sources told Reuters.

A series of strikes on a coastal town further north than the usual conflict area killed a Hezbollah member as well as two Syrian civilians, the security sources said.

They said a separate Israeli strike on Majdal Anjar, on Lebanon's eastern border with Syria, killed two Hamas fighters.

Israel and Hezbollah have beenexchanging fire across Lebanon's southern border for sevenmonths in parallel with the Gaza war, but it has ramped up in recent days.

There was no immediate comment from the Israeli military.

The recovery of the bodies of three hostages from Gaza is a "painful reminder" of those who are still in captivity, says a member of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.

Professor Hagai Levine said over the last day, rumours circulating about which bodies had been returned to Israel were "very painful for the families" of all the captives.

It was important to bring home the bodies of hostages to give their families closure, he said.

"We do not lose hope. We are preparing for the return of the hostages that are alive," he said.

"As long as we promote a solution to release the hostages, it will also help to prevent further bloodshed in Gaza."

Turning to the approach the Israeli government has taken, Mr Levine said the government "is not representing well the desires of the public".

"There is a majority in Israel that believe that we should now promote regional agreements and together with the moderate countries, not the extremists, we should kick out Hamas... and replace them with another kind of government.

"This could really bring peace and prosperity to the Palestinians and to Israelis and to the entire region and we feel that the government is not doing enough."

Shani Louk's father says the return of her body to her family has been a form of closure.

Nissim Louk told Haaretz his daughter "radiated light, to her and those who surrounded her, and in her death she still does".

"She is a symbol of the people of Israel, between light and darkness. Her inner and outer beauty that shone for all the world to see is a special one."

He said: "The tormented soul knows that there is a hole in the heart somewhere in Gaza. Today we got a final answer."

The bodies of three hostages were found in Rafah during a joint IDF and Israeli intelligence operation last night, says Middle East correspondent Alistair Bunkall.

The international community has warned strongly against an assault on the southern city, where more than a million civilians are sheltering, but Israel has vowed to press ahead.

One of Israel's justifications for going into Rafah is that it is where they say many of the hostages are being held, either dead or alive, Bunkall says.

"The logic is that as the Israeli military has pushed through Gaza from north to south, the hostages would have been moved.

"The thinking is, within the Israeli military and Israeli government, that there are more hostages being held inside Rafah.

"I'm sure that the discovery of these three bodies will probably encourage them in that respect because there are hostages still alive - there have been hostage videos released by Hamas in recent weeks."

In November, the brother of Shani Louk, whose body was found today, told Sky News of their last phone call as she tried to escape Hamas.

Then came a video that shook the world. Shani's body was seen face down in a pick-up truck being paraded through Gaza.

"I never thought I was going to be in contact with this type of video, seeing my sister in that brutal position," Amit said.

"And just in that moment, the whole family just crashed."

Listen to him speak here...

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he is "heartbroken" for the loss of Itzhak Gelerenter, Amit Buskila, and Shani Louk.

"My wife, Sara, and I grieve with the families," he said, adding: "We will return all our hostages."

President Isaac Herzog said: "My heart goes out in sympathy to the grieving and tormented families."

Foreign affairs minister Israel Katz added: "I send condolences and a big hug to the families, and gratitude to our heroic soldiers who are doing everything to bring all the hostages home."

Israeli military spokesperson Daniel Hagari has offered his condolences to the families of the three hostages found dead in Gaza.

The IDF earlier said they seized the bodies of Itzhak Gelerenter, Amit Buskila, and Shani Louk.

"They were celebrating life in the Nova music festival and they were murdered by Hamas," said Mr Hagari.

He said their families have been notified.

"Our hearts go out to them, to the families at this difficult time. We will leave no stone unturned, we will do everything in our power to find our hostages and bring them home."

Israel's chief military spokesman has said that the IDF has seized the bodies of three hostages from Gaza.

Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the remains were discovered in an overnight operation carried out by the military and Shin Bet.

He named the hostages as Itzhak Gelerenter, Amit Buskila, and Shani Louk, who he said were killed at the Nova music festival on 7 October with their bodies then taken into Gaza.

Footage of 22-year-old Shani Louk being paraded after being kidnapped by Hamas militants was widely circulated on social media following the attack.

The military did not give immediate details on where their bodies were found.

Approximately 250 people were abducted by Hamas on 7 October.

Israel says around 100 hostages are still held in Gaza, along with the bodies of more than 30.