IDF: IDF Spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari:

"They were denied basic humanitarian care, including medication and medical examinations. Our mission was to bring the hostages home alive, and we failed. We remain committed to doing everything possible to bring all hostages back from Gaza—whether alive or for burial."

Please find attached the statement by the IDF Spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari:
Below is a translation of the statement:

Good evening,
Tonight, I am updating that in a joint operation by the ISA and the IDF in the Gaza Strip, the body of the hostage Itai Svirsky, may his memory be a blessing, was recovered and brought back to Israel. Itai was abducted from his parents’ home in Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7. His parents were murdered by Hamas terrorists, and he was kidnapped alive. Itai was held for approximately four months along with Yossi Sharabi, may his memory be a blessing, and Noa Argamani. In January, it was cleared for publication that both Itai and Yossi were murdered in captivity. The details of the operation in which Itai’s body was recovered cannot be disclosed to avoid jeopardizing ongoing operational efforts by the IDF and ISA. The family has been informed, and we extend our condolences and embrace them in their grief.

Today, we presented the families of additional hostages with the findings of a complex investigation regarding the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Yagev Buchshtab, Alexander Dancyg, Avraham Munder, Yoram Metzger, Nadav Popplewell, and Haim Perry, may their memory be a blessing. The investigation was conducted following an exhaustive process involving all available intelligence and forensic examinations. The findings, once reviewed and approved by the Chief of the General Staff and the Minister of Defense, were shared with the families.

Avraham, Haim, Yoram, and Alex—founders of Kibbutz Nir Oz and among the pillars of Israeli society—were abducted from their homes by Hamas terrorists. Along with them, 72 additional members of Kibbutz Nir Oz were taken hostage, and 38 were murdered—one-third of the kibbutz’s residents.

Nadav and Yagev were abducted from their homes in Kibbutz Nirim alongside three other residents. In Hamas’ attack on Kibbutz Nirim, nine members of the kibbutz were killed. I met with their families today. Words cannot convey the immense pain and loss they endure.

Our hearts are with the families of the hostages and the kibbutzim still awaiting the return of their loved ones, who were cruelly abducted by Hamas and held in inhumane conditions in Gaza.

On the morning of October 7, Yagev, Alex, Avraham, Yoram, Nadav, and Haim were taken by Hamas terrorists and held for months in an underground tunnel in Khan Yunis. Previously, we exposed this compound, which was designed as a detention facility with multiple sections, including a gathering room, a kitchenette, toilets, and living quarters.

In December, the IDF entered the Khan Yunis area. At that time, it is believed that the six hostages were transferred to another tunnel approximately 4 kilometers away in the Hamad neighborhood, also known as the Qatari neighborhood. Footage shows this was a passage tunnel not intended for prolonged stay—a 100-meter-long, narrow, and low tunnel blocked at one end by sandbags and at the other by an iron door. The tunnel’s height and width made it difficult for a person to stand or lie down, with no conditions suitable for human habitation.

Hamas terrorists brutally abducted them and held them under inhumane conditions, including elderly hostages, some over the age of eighty, and some with medical conditions. They were denied basic humanitarian care, including medication and medical examinations. They endured unimaginable, inhumane conditions.

On February 14, the IDF struck an underground compound in the Qatari neighborhood in Khan Yunis. The attack targeted Hamas terrorists hiding in the area.