Five hostages were found dead inside the underground tunnel system used by Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip — and now partially destroyed — the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Sunday.
The hostages found in the tunnel were identified as Petty Officer Ziv Dado, Sgt. Ron Sherman, Cpl. Nik Beizer, Eden Zacharia and Elia Toledano. The deaths of the five were announced earlier this month and their bodies have been returned to Israel.
According to the IDF, the tunnel discovered after conducting military operations in Jabalia, Gaza, contained a now-demolished Hamas headquarters.
Israeli soldiers stand in a tunnel that the army says was used by Hamas to attack the Erez crossing in the northern Gaza Strip, Friday, Dec. 15, 2023. Ariel Schalit/AP
"Weapons, weapons and weapons were found deep inside the military headquarters, weapons manufacturing infrastructure and emergency hideouts," the military statement said. "The network (of tunnels) was connected to a shaft that led to the residence of Hamas Northern Brigade commander Ahmad Andur."
The announcement of the find comes shortly after Israel said 15 of its soldiers were killed in combat in Gaza over the weekend, in one of the deadliest days of fighting since the Israeli ground offensive began in late October. The soldiers' deaths indicate that Hamas continues to fight despite weeks of brutal war.
The rising death toll among Israeli troops is likely to be a major factor in Israel's public support for the war, triggered by a Hamas-led militant assault on southern Israeli towns on Oct. 7, in which 1,200 people were killed and 240 captured.
The war has swept through parts of the Gaza Strip, killed some 20,400 Palestinians and displaced nearly 85% of Gaza's 2.3 million people.
The Israelis strongly support the country's stated goals of crushing Gaza's military and governance capabilities and freeing the remaining 129 hostages. That support has largely been maintained despite mounting international pressure against the Israeli offensive, the rising death toll and the unprecedented suffering of Palestinians.
"The war takes a heavy toll on us, but we have no choice but to keep fighting," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a meeting of his government on Sunday.
"We continue with full strength, until the end, until victory, until we reach our goals," he added.
While Israelis have supported the war effort, there is widespread discontent with Netanyahu's government, which many criticize for failing to protect civilians on Oct. 7 and promoting policies that allowed Hamas to gain strength for years.
NBC News and The Associated Press contributed