IDF kills two terrorists who held murdered hostages in Rafah tunnel

Israeli forces killed two Hamas terrorists who had held six hostages whose bodies were recovered from a tunnel in Rafah, the southern Gaza Strip, on Sept. 1.

IDF Spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said on Saturday night that the families of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Almog Sarusi, Alexander Lobanov, Carmel Gat and Ori Danino were informed that the two terrorists had been eliminated.

“A day after the murder of the hostages, forces with the 162nd Division identified two terrorists emerging from a nearby tunnel in the Tel Sultan area of Rafah, and killed them in an exchange of fire,” Hagari said in a press conference.

“After investigating the findings from the tunnel and the equipment the terrorists had, we found DNA evidence and several items that belonged to the terrorists we eliminated,” he said.

“Based on the findings and the information we have, it appears that the terrorists we neutralized were in the area where the bodies of the six hostages were found after they were murdered. We are investigating their involvement in the murders. We will pursue and reach everyone involved in this heinous act, and we will not stop until we get them all,” Hagari said.