Palestinians search the rubble of destroyed buildings after the Israeli army withdrew from some blocks in the city of Deir al-Balah, central Gaza, on Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024.
The Israel Defense Forces said it has located "a number of bodies" in Gaza on Saturday.
In a statement issued Saturday evening, the IDF said it found the bodies "during combat" in the enclave.
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"At this time, the troops are still operating in the area and are carrying out a process to extract and identify the bodies that will last several hours," the IDF said. "We ask to refrain from spreading rumors."
Speaking to the press in Delaware following Saturday evening Mass, President Joe Biden said, "I don't have much to report" on the situation.
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"My staff has been in contact with Israelis," Biden said. "They've discovered bodies in Gaza. They're not sure the exact number."
He said that in the meantime, "we want to identify the bodies."
"There’s a lot of speculation to who they are, the names. I’m not at liberty to do that at this moment until the families are notified," Biden said.
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He also called for an end to the war.
"And it's time this war ended. We should end this war," Biden said. "I think we're on the verge of having an agreement. And it's just time to end it. It's time to finish it."
In a statement on X, the Hostage and Missing Families Forum pointed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who it said "abandoned the abductees! This is now a fact."
"Starting tomorrow the country will tremble. We call on the public to prepare. We are blocking the country," the statement said. The Forum said it will share more details Sunday morning.
Netanyahu faces mounting pressure in Israel and around the world to reach a cease-fire deal with Hamas that would secure the release of the hostages and end fighting in Gaza.
Over 1,200 people were killed in Israel around 250 others taken hostage during Hamas's Oct. 7 terror attack.
The devastation and humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, where health officials said more than 40,000 people have been killed in Israel's military offensive, has drawn international condemnation and isolated Netanyahu on the international stage.
Some Israeli news outlets reported and implied the bodies may be those of hostages. An estimated 104 remain in Hamas custody.
In the 10 months since the attack, some hostages were released via diplomatic agreements, some were rescued during IDF operations, and some were killed or died in captivity. The plight of the hostages has roiled Israeli society, sparking protests and anger that Netanyahu has not reached a cease-fire agreement that would bring them home.
This is a developing story. Check back for more updates.
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