Israeli forces recovered the bodies of five people believed to have been killed during the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel and brought into the Gaza Strip.

The bodies of hostage Maya Goren and four soldiers (Sgt. Oren Goldin, Staff Sgt. Tomer Ahimas, Sgt. Maj. Ravid Aryeh Katz, and Sgt. Kiril Brodski) were returned to Israel.

The bodies were recovered on Wednesday during an operation in Khan Yunis, the main city in the southern Gaza Strip.

On October 7, Hamas militants attacked southern Israeli communities, resulting in the deaths of 1,197 people and the seizure of 251 hostages.

Israel's retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has killed at least 39,145 people, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.