Israel Defense Forces via Reuters
The bodies of three Israelis taken hostage and held in Gaza have been recovered by the Israeli military, officials said Friday.
Elia Toledano, a 28-year-old civilian, was abducted during Hamas’ attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement. The French-Israeli citizen was one of the people taken from a music festival targeted by gunmen during the rampage, according to The Times of Israel.
French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna wrote in a statement on X of her “immense pain” at the “death of our compatriot Elia Toledano, hostage of Hamas and whose remains were found in Gaza.” “We share the pain of his family and loved ones,” she wrote, adding: “The release of all hostages is our priority.”