Under fierce combat between Israeli forces and Hamas, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) retrieved the bodies of three hostages from the war-torn Gaza Strip on Friday, according to The Times of Israel.

Itzhak Gelerenter, Amit Buskila, and Shani Louk were named as the three.

IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said in a press release that the bodies were found during an overnight operation conducted by Shin Bet and the armed forces.

On the morning of the attack led by Hamas on October 7, the three were at the Supernova music festival near Re’im. They later left for the Mefalsim region.

According to Hagari, Hamas terrorists killed them there, and their remains were then taken to Gaza.

Gelerenter and Buskila were believed to be alive until recently, but Louk was declared dead in late October after a portion of her skull was recognised in response to widely circulated video purportedly showing terrorists seizing her, according to The Times of Israel.

The military had originally intended to wait until the operation was over before announcing the recovery of the dead on Friday. However, it was decided to reveal some details, including the names of the three captives, in response to speculations about the operation that were circulating on social media.

Hagari claims that the rehabilitation process has “been going on for a long time already.” According to The Times of Israel, he added that some of the intelligence for the operation came from Palestinian terror suspects who had been apprehended by the IDF and questioned by the Shin Bet.

“The intense fighting in all parts of the Strip continues, and the task of utmost importance of returning the hostages is [on the mind] of every commander and fighter in the field,” he stated.

While it was heartbreaking to hear that the IDF had found Shani Louk’s body, her father Nissim’s remark to Channel 12 news was something he had been waiting for since he had been formally notified, according to a Times of Israel report.

“I’m pleading with the people to keep our forces safe and to stop from spreading misinformation. Ensure the security of our forces. Pay attention to the IDF spokesperson’s and the official bodies’ messages alone.