Find out who the six hostages killed in Gaza are

The bodies of six hostages held by Hamas have been recovered from an underground tunnel in Gaza, the Israeli military said on Sunday. The captives, including an Israeli-American, were among more than 200 people taken by the fighters to Gaza after the Oct. 7 attack.

Five of the hostages were taken from an Israeli music festival where hundreds were killed and dozens were kidnapped by Hamas. The sixth was captured from a nearby farming community, according to the Hostage Families Forum, which has coordinated efforts to highlight the plight of the captives and their families and push for their release.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said their bodies were found in a Hamas-run tunnel beneath the city of Rafah, and that they were “brutally” murdered “shortly” before troops could reach them.

The location was about a kilometer from the tunnel where another hostage was rescued alive days earlier, a military spokesman added.

Three of the six hostages whose bodies were recovered were expected to be released during the first phase of an eventual ceasefire agreement, two Israeli officials told CNN .

Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi and Carmel Gat were scheduled to be released as part of the “humanitarian category” based on the framework Israel and Hamas agreed to in early July, the officials said, with one adding: “Our prime minister was late.”

Here’s what is known about the hostages:

Hersh Goldberg-Polin

The 23-year-old Israeli-American became one of the most recognizable faces of the hostage crisis after he was taken at gunpoint by Hamas fighters at the Nova music festival. Banners and murals demanding his return were frequently displayed in Jerusalem and around the world.

When Hamas gunmen invaded southern Israel on October 7, Goldberg-Polin and his friends were forced to hide inside a small bomb shelter.

When militants began throwing grenades into the bunker, Goldberg-Polin ran to throw them out before his arm was ripped off from the elbow down, according to a firsthand account from his friend.

Goldberg-Polin’s parents, Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg-Polin, are among the most vocal hostage families pushing Netanyahu to seek a deal to secure their relatives’ return. They have also met regularly with senior U.S. officials in Washington to press the hostages’ case and gave an emotional speech at this month’s Democratic National Convention.

Born in Oakland, California, Goldberg-Polin immigrated to Israel with his family at age 7.

The eldest of two sisters, he was a “carefree, easygoing, good-natured, respectful and curious” person who loved football and music, according to his family. He was obsessed with geography and travel from an early age, his mother said.

Alexander Lobanov

The 32-year-old father of two, from the southern Israeli coastal city of Ashkelon, was also abducted from the Nova music festival, where he worked as a bar manager.

Witnesses say Lobanov helped evacuate people at the festival and ran with five others into the Be’eri forest, where he was later captured by Hamas gunmen.

Lobanov leaves behind a wife and two children, aged two and five months. His youngest son was born while he was in captivity.

Carmel Gat

The 40-year-old woman from Tel Aviv was staying at her parents’ home in the border kibbutz of Be’eri in southern Israel when Hamas fighters stormed in around 10 a.m. on October 7 and forcibly took her away.

Be’eri was one of the communities hardest hit in the October 7 attacks, where Hamas killed 101 of its residents, including children. Thirty people were kidnapped from the kibbutz that day.

After 50 days without any sign of life, Gat’s family received testimonies from returned hostages who described her as their guardian angel. To help them endure their captivity, she taught them meditation and yoga.

The occupational therapist was full of compassion and love, and always found ways to support and help others, according to the Hostage Families Forum. She loved traveling alone, meeting new people and listening to live rock music. Carmel Gat was particularly fond of the English rock band Radiohead.

Almog Sarusi

The 27-year-old was at the Nova music festival with his girlfriend. When the attack happened, the pair tried to escape in a car with friends, but his girlfriend was shot and seriously injured. Sarusi stayed by her side in a desperate attempt to save her. She died, and he was later captured and taken to Gaza, according to the Hostage Families Forum.

Sarusi was remembered as a positive person who loved traveling around Israel in his white car with his guitar, according to the forum.

Eden Yerushalmi

The 24-year-old from Tel Aviv was working as a bartender at the Nova music festival on Oct. 7. When sirens sounded, she sent a video of rocket fire to the family group chat, saying she was leaving the party, according to the Hostage Families Forum.

As Hamas fighters continued their attack, Yerushalmi called the police, describing the situation and begging: “Find me, okay?”

For four hours, she spoke to her two sisters, May and Shani, who listened to everything she went through as she tried to escape. Her last words were: “Shani, they got me.”

Those who knew Yerushalmi described her as a vibrant young woman with many friends and hobbies. She loved spending her summer days at the beach playing paddleball, going to parties and was studying to become a Pilates instructor, according to the Hostage Families Forum.

Ori Danino

The eldest of five siblings, the 25-year-old planned to study electrical engineering. The Jerusalem native was kidnapped at the Nova music festival while driving back to help others escape, according to the Hostage Families Forum. He was the son of Einav and Elchanan, and partner of Liel.

“Ori was known for his ambition, love for people and was loved by everyone,” the forum said. “He loved nature and was very skilled.”

This content was originally published in Find out who the six hostages killed in Gaza are on the CNN Brasil website.

Source: CNN Brasil