JNS
"After more than nine months, she was brought home for burial," Kibbutz Nir Oz said in a statement.
Israel Defense Forces troops located and recovered the body of Maya Goren, 56, from the Gaza Strip, her kibbutz announced on Wednesday.
"Tonight, we were informed that the body of the late Maya Goren was recovered during a military rescue operation. After more than nine months, she was brought home for burial," Kibbutz Nir Oz stated.
"The family was informed about the operation in recent hours. The community will continue its struggle to bring back all the hostages, the living to rehabilitation and the dead for burial," the statement added.
Goren, a kindergarten teacher, was taken from her home by Hamas terrorists after thousands of operatives infiltrated the border on Oct. 7 and subsequently murdered 1,200 people and kidnapped another 250 to the Gaza Strip. Her husband, Avner Goren, was murdered that day; his body is still being held by Hamas.
The Israeli military confirmed on Dec. 1 that Maya was killed in Hamas captivity, without providing details on the circumstances of her death.
The couple is survived by their four children—Assif, 25; Bar, 23; Gal, 21; and Dekel, 18. Bar and Dekel were in Kibbutz Nir Oz when Hamas attacked but survived, while Asif and Gal were staying elsewhere.
Maya Goren was the teacher of 1-year-old Kfir Bibas, the youngest Israeli hostage, who has been in Hamas captivity for almost 300 days.
Of the 119 hostages remaining in the Strip, 115 were abducted during the Oct. 7 massacre (the other four were captured earlier). The official figure includes both living and deceased men, women and children.
Dozens of the remaining hostages are believed to be alive, a senior Israeli official involved in the negotiations told AFP last month.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told U.S. lawmakers during a joint session of Congress on Wednesday that he would not rest until the remaining captives were freed from the "dungeons" in Gaza.
Negotiations to secure their release are "taking place right now," he said. "Israel has already brought home 135 of these hostages, including seven who were freed during rescue operations," the prime minister added.
