Israel finds 6 dead hostages in tunnel as Gaza medics begin polio vaccines

Israel's military announced Sunday the discovery of six dead hostages in a Gaza tunnel, as medics in Palestinian territory braced for pauses in fighting for a polio vaccination drive.

The hostages' remains were recovered Saturday "from an underground tunnel in the Rafah area" and formally identified in Israel, a military statement said.

The military named them as Hersh Goldberg-Polin — a dual U.S.-Israeli national — Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alexander Lobanov — a Russian-Israeli — Almog Sarusi and Master Sergeant Ori Danino.

U.S. President Joe Biden said he was "devastated and outraged" by the deaths.

The six were among 251 hostages seized during Hamas's October 7 attack on southern Israel that triggered the ongoing war, 97 of whom remain captive in Gaza including 33 the Israeli army says are dead.

Military spokesman Daniel Hagari said all six "were abducted alive on the morning of October 7" and "brutally murdered by Hamas shortly before we reached them".

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said it "bows its head in mourning" for the latest deaths and called for a ceasefire deal.

"Were it not for the delays, sabotage, and excuses those whose deaths we learned about this morning would likely still be alive," the campaign group said.

Israel's retaliatory military campaign since Oct. 7 has reduced Gaza to ruins, devastating water and sanitation facilities, while disease has spread.

Following the first confirmed polio case in the besieged Palestinian territory in 25 years, a Gaza health official said vaccinations began Saturday ahead of a wider campaign.

The World Health Organization says Israel has agreed to a series of three-day "humanitarian pauses" to facilitate the polio vaccination...