IDF recovers bodies of six hostages murdered in Gaza

RACHEL: WE BEGIN THIS HOUR WITH A FOX NEWS ALERT. THE IDF ANNOUNCING THEY HAVE FOUND SIX DEAD HOSTAGES TAKEN BY HAMAS ON OCTOBER 7 INSIDE OF A TUNNEL IN GAZA JUST DAYS AGO. PETE: SADLY, THAT INCLUDES THE REMAINS OF HERSH GOLDBERG-P IF OLIN WHO IS THE FOURTH AMERICAN HOSTAGE BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN KILLED BY HAMAS. JOEY: TREY YINGST JOINS US LIVE FROM TEL AVIV WITH MORE. >> Reporter: HEY, GUYS, GOOD MORNING. SIX OF THE ISRAELI HOSTAGES THAT WERE BEING HELD BY HAMAS WERE KILLED BY THE GROUP ACCORDING TO THE I DO DF, THEIR BODIES RECOVERED THIS WEEKEND. IT'S A HEARTBREAKING DEVELOPMENT FOR THE ISRAELI PEOPLE WHO HAVE WAITED 331 DAYS FOR THEM TO COME HOME. THREE OF THE HOSTAGES WERE SET TO BE RELEASED FROM GAZA DURING THE FIRST HUMANITARIAN EXCHANGE ONCE A CEASEFIRE WAS IMPLEMENTED. I'M TOLD AMONG THEM, AMERICAN CITIZEN HERSH GOLDBERG-POLIN. HIS STORY GRABBED THE ATTENTION OF THE WORLD, THE 23-YEAR-OLD WAS ATTENDING A MUSIC FESTIVAL WHEN THE ATTACK BEGAN. HE HID INSIDE A BOMB SHELTER THAT HAMAS ULTIMATELY THROUGH GRENADES INSIDE OF. WHILE HE LOST HIS ARM, HE SURVIVED AND WAS DRAGGED INTO GAZA. STILL THOUGH, THE ORDEAL HE SURVIVED UNTIL BEING EXECUTED IN RECENT DAYS. PRESIDENT BIDEN RELEASED A STATEMENT OVERNIGHT SAYING HE WAS DEVASTATED AND OUTRAGED, ADDING THAT THE BODIES WERE RECOVERED FROM A TUNNEL THE UNDERNEATH RAFAH. THE NEWS HAS MOVED ISRAEL'S DEFENSE MINISTER TO CALL ON THE WAR CABINET TO REVERSE A DECISION LED BY BENJAMIN NETANYAHU LAST YEAR TO KEEP TROOPS IN THE PHILADELPHI CORRIDOR, PREVENTING A CEASEFIRE DEAL. THE FUNERAL FOR THESE SIX ISRAELI HOSTAGES WILL BE HELD MT. DAYS AHEAD, BUT I CAN TELL YOU IT WAS A GLOOMMY MORNING HERE IN TEL AVIV. IT ACTUALLY RAINED IN THE CITY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MONTHS, AND9 ENTIRE POPULATION OF ISRAEL GRIEVING THE LOSS OF HAIR SIX FELLOW CITIZENS. GUYS? PETE: TREY, THANKS FOR THAT REPORT. IT CERTAINLY IS A SAD A DAY IN ISRAEL. YOU MENTIONED RAFAH AND THE CROSSING POINT THERE. IT'S A STICKING POINT ON THE CEASEFIRE. SO IF I'M CORRECT, THE CABINET THE HAD SAID WE'RE KEEPING ISRAELI TROOPS THERE BECAUSE WE CAN'T TRUST HAMAS TO CONTROL THAT CHECKPOINT. YOU'RE SAYING THAT MAY CHANGE IN LIGHT OF THIS? HOW DOES THIS EVENT CHANGE THE ONGOING NEGOTIATIONS, ESPECIALLY THAT CROSSING POINT? >> Reporter: YEAH. SO I WANT TO TAKE YOU THROUGH A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT OCCURRED OVER THE PAST WEEK. I SPOKE THIS MORNING WITH A SENIOR ISRAELI OFFICIAL WHO INDICATED LAST WEEK AT A CABINET MEETING ISRAEL'S DEFEND MINISTER AND THE PRIME MINISTER GOT INTO A SCREAMING MATCH OVER WHAT TO DO NEXT WITH THE FILL DELLFY CORRIDOR, A STRIP OF LAND BETWEEN GAZA AND EGYPT. AND CURRENTLY, ISRAELI FORCES ARE DEPLOYED THROUGHOUT THIS AREA TO PREVENT SMUGGLING ACROSS THE BORDER AND TO SECURE THIS AREA. THIS IS LARGELY SEEN AS A STICKING POINT IN THE NEGOTIATIONS INDIRECTLY BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS. HAMAS SAYS THERERE ISRAELI FORCES THERE, THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO ACCEPT A CEASEFIRE DEAL. SO ISRAEL'S DEFENSE MINISTER SAID, LOOK, WE NEED TO GET THE HOSTAGES HOME, AND WE ARE WILLING TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES EVEN IF THAT MEANS TEMPORARILY REMOVING FORCES FROM THE AREA. BENJAMIN NETANYAHU SAID HE WOULD NOT GO FOR THAT, AND THE MAJORITY OF THE CABINET WAIL VOTED AGAINST THE DEFENSE MINISTER. AGAIN TODAY, HE CALLED FOR ANOTHER VOTE TRYING TO GET THE CABINET TO SEE IF THERE IS NOT A DEAL TO REMOVE ISRAELI FORCES FROM THE PHILADELPHI CORRIDOR, THE MORE THAN REMAINING 100 HOSTAGES WILL REMAIN INSIDE GAZA. PETE: REAL QUICK, TREY, IS A CABINET VOTE BINDING? IS THAT JUST FOR PUBLIC CONSUMPTION? HOW DOES THAT WORK? WHAT DOES A VOTE MEAN? >> Reporter: YEAH. SO IT'S HOW THE DECISIONS ARE MADE IN ISRAEL AT THE MILITARY LEVEL, AT THIS POINT IN THE WAR. REMEMBER, THERE WAS A SPECIFIC WAR CABINET THAT ACTUALLY THE HAD MEMBERS OF THE PREVIOUS OPPOSITION WITHIN IT. THAT WAS DISSOLVED, AND THERE IS A LARGER CABINET NOW THAT'S MAKING MOST OF THE DECISIONS ABOUT WHAT TO DO WITH THE WAR INSIDE GAZA. AND I'M GOING TO PARAPHRASE WHAT MINISTER GALLANT SAID TO THE PRIME MINISTER LAST WEEK. HE SAID TO HIM, YOU'RE ABLE TO BRING ANYTHING YOU WANT AS PRIME MINISTER TO A VOTE IN THIS CABINET INCLUDING THE EXECUTION OF HOSTAGES. HE WANTED TO MAKE A POINT TO THE ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER THAT IF THEY DON'T GET A CEASEFIRE DEAL NOW, THIS WILL COST THE LIVES OF ISRAELI HOSTAGES. RACHEL: AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED, TREY. I'M CURIOUS, YOU THERE IN ISRAEL -- YOU'RE THERE IN ISRAEL, WHAT IS THE FEELING OF THE ISRAELI PEOPLE? I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF CONSTERNATION, A LOT OF DEBATE. THERE ARE THOSE WHO SAY THEY WANT THE MILITARY TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET RID OF HAMAS, TO END THAT PROBLEM WITH THAT -- HAMAS, AND THEN THERE ARE THOSE WHO SAY WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE THESE HOSTAGES WHICH INCLUDE AMERICAN CITIZENS, ISRAELI CITIZENS AND OTHERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD. >> Reporter: SO THE COUNTRY IS VERY DIVIDED ON THIS ISSUE, AND IT'S PART OF THE REASON YOU'VE SEEN PROTESTS IN THE STREETS CALLING FOR A CEASEFIRE IF DEAL. BUT ALSO THERE IS A PORTION OF THIS POPULATION, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THE PARTY OF PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU THAT WANT THE WAR TO CONTINUE WHETHER OR NOT THERE IS A DEAL TO GET THE HOSTAGES I OUT. AND JUST AS WE'RE SPEAKING HERE, I GOT A TEXT MESSAGE FROM A SENIOR HAMAS OFFICIAL COMMENTING ON WHAT PRESIDENT BIDEN SAID EARLIER TODAY. THE OUTRAGE THAT HE EXPRESSED ABOUT THE KILLING OF THESE ISRAELI HOSTAGES, AND I'M JUST READING THROUGH THE IT HERE AS WE TALK AND I'M NOT GOING TO READ IT TO YOU BECAUSE MUCH OF IT IS PROPAGANDA. BUT HE BLAMES PRESIDENT BIDEN FOR SUPPORTING THE ISRAELIS THROUGHOUT THIS WAR. AND, LOOK, HAMAS DOESN'T WANT TO ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR KILLING THE HOSTAGES. THEY WANT TO BLAME ISRAEL AND THE UNITED STATES, BUT THE REALITY IS ACCORDING TO THE IDF IF THESE HOSTAGES WERE ACTUALLY EXECUTED IN THE RECENT DAYS AS ISRAELI FORCES MOVES IN -- MOVED IN. AND IT GIVES YOU A SENSE OF THE PRESSURE RIGHT NOW ON THESE NEGOTIATIONS THAT ARE STILL ONGOING AT THE WORKING LEVEL IN DOHA. THERE'S A LOT OF PRESSURE BECAUSE IF THERE IS NOT A CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT, IT MEANS THE WAR CONTINUES AND THE HOSTAGES, DOZEN OS THIS -- OF THEM STILL ALIVE INSIDE GAZA, THEIR LIVES ARE AT RISK. JOEY: TREY, REAL QUICK, I KNOW YOU'RE JUST READING THROUGH THAT AS A YOU'RE ON TV, DOES HAMAS IF EVER DENY THE ACCUSATION THAT THEY WERE MURDERED OR EXECUTED? DOES HAMAS DEFLECT IN THAT WAY? >> Reporter: THEY DO. AND IN THIS NEW BOOK THAT I WROTE, "BLACK SATURDAY," DISCUSSING THE OCTOBER 7TH MASSACRE, I ACTUALLY YESTERDAY SENIOR HAMAS LEADERSHIP ABOUT THAT MORNING, WHERE WE SAW THE MASSACRE UNFOLDING BEFORE OUR EYES, OUR CAMERAS CAPTURED THE AFTERMATH IN THE KIBBUTZ. WE SAW WHAT HAMAS DID ON THAT MORNING, YET THE ORGANIZATION WANTS TO PRETEND LIKE IT DID HAPPEN. THEY SENT US STATEMENTS AND VIDEOS CLAIMING THAT THEY DIDN'T KILL CIVILIANS. THAT'S SIMPLY A LIE. JOEY: YEAH. PETE: ONE LAST THING TREY. AS IT PERTAINS TO HAMAS, IS IT A FUNCTIONING -- THESE NEGOTIATIONS, DO WE, WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT THE EXTENT TO WHICH HAMAS CONTROLS AND KNOWS WHERE ALL THE HOSTAGES ARE? ARE WE REALLY NEGOTIATING WITH ONE ENTITY, OR ARE THERE DIFFERENT WINGS THAT CONTROL DIFFERENT HOSTAGES WITH DIFFERENT INCENTIVE STRUCTURES? HOW MUCH DOES ONE PERSON CONTROL THESE NEGOTIATIONS? >> Reporter: IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. AND, LOOK, THE MAN IN CHARGE OF NEGOTIATIONS FOR HAMAS IS ONE OF THE MASTERMINDS BEHIND THE OCTOBER 7TH MASSACRE. THERE WERE THREE OF THEM, ONE WAS KILLED IN AN AIRSTRIKE THAT ISRAEL CONDUCTED IN SOUTHERN GAZA EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE POLITICAL LEADER WAS KILLED IN TEHRAN EARLIER THIS YEAR. THE ONLY REMAINING A HAMAS OFFICIAL AT THE VERY TOP TO HAVE THE CHAIN TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR THE ORGANIZATION ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF A CEASEFIRE IS A MAN WHO, ACCORDING TO ISRAELI MEDIA REPORTS, IS SURROUNDED IN THE TUNNELS BENEATH GAZA WITH HOSTAGES. HE UNDERSTANDS THAT IF HE COMES ABOVE GROUND BY HIMSELF, HE WILL BE TAKEN OUT IN A TARGETED STRIKE BY THE ISRAELIS, AND IT'S PART OF THE REASON HE HAS SURROUNDED HIMSELF WITH HOSTAGES, BECAUSE HE WANTS TO STAY ALIVE AS LONG AS POSSIBLE. AND, LOOK, THIS IS SOMEONE WHO PREVIOUSLY WAS HELD IN AN ISRAELI PRISON, HE WAS RELEASED AS PART OF A PRISONER EXCHANGE IN A 1,000 TO 1 EXTRAINING, AND THERE IS SOME PRESSURE ABOUT -- EXCHANGE. AND THERE IS SOME PRESSURE ABOUT THE EXCHANGE RATE FOR HOSTAGES TO PALESTINIAN PRISONERS, BECAUSE THEY UNDERSTAND IF THEY RELEASE TOP TERROR THE LEADERS FROM ISRAELI PRISON, SOME OF THEM WILL GO BACK TO COMMITTING ATTACKS AGAINST ISRAEL. RACHEL: TREY, THE HOSTAGE FAMILIES, THE ONES THAT ARE REMAINING ALIVE, PETE MENTIONED PROBABLY FROM OUR LAST GUEST PROBABLY ABOUT 50 OF THEM THEY SUSPECT, JONATHAN -- WHAT WAS HIS NAME AGAIN? PETE: CONRICUS, ESTIMATE -- RACHEL: ESTIMATES ABOUT 50 OF THEM. WHERE ARE THOSE FAMILIES AT NOW? WHERE ARE THEY AT? DO THEY FEEL LIKE THEIR POLITICAL ORGANIZATION AND PRESSURE ON THE GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE ANY POSITIVE OUTCOME? IF WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH THEM? >> Reporter: THE MAJORITY OF THE FAMILIES OF ISRAELI HOSTAGES BELIEVE THAT THEIR GOVERNMENT HAS FAILED THEM. AND IT'S T PART OF THE REASON THEY ARE IN THE STREETS CALLING FOR A CEASEFIRE, BECAUSE 331 IS DAYS INTO THIS CONFLICT THERE ARE STILL MORE THAN 1000 ISRAELIS -- 100 ISRAELIS BOTH DEAD AND ALIVE INSIDE THE GAZA SLIP. ANDS THE DELAWARE THE SATING FOR THIS POPULATION. JUST LAST WEEK WE WENT TO A FUNERAL FOR A YOUNG 34-YEAR-OLD WHO WAS AT HIS HOME IN A SMALL COMMUNITY IN SOUTHERN ISRAEL WHEN HE WAS DRAGGED ALONG WITH HIS WIFE INTO THE GAZA STRIP. HE IS A MAN WHO LOVED ANIMALS AND MUSIC, AND HE WAS SLAUGHTERED. HE WAS AT HOME. AND WE WENT TO THAT FUNERAL, WE TALKED TONIGHT -- TO THE FAMILY FROM THE DAYS AFTER BLACK SATURDAY, THE DAYS AFTER THE OCTOBER 7TH MASSACRE. HIS MOTHER AND SISTER SPENT EACH AND EVERY DAY PLEADING WITH THE GOVERNMENT TO CUT A CEASEFIRE DEAL. THEY SPENT EACH AND EVERY DAY CALLING FOR YAGEV'S RELEASE, AND THE LAST TIME WE SAW THE TWO OF THEM THEY STOOD OVER HIS GRAVE AS THEY BURIED THIS YOUNG ISRAE. AND THAT IS WHAT SO MANY FAMILIES HERE ARE WORRIED ABOUT, THAT THEY WILL HAVE THE SAME FATE. THEY WILL BE ATTENDING THE FUNERALS OF HAIR LOVED ONES. AND THAT'S WHY THERE'S SO MUCH PRESSURE ON THIS SITUATION. WE TALK ABOUT THE NUMBERS, WE TALK ABOUT 331 DAYS INTO THIS WAR, THE MORE THAN 100 TOISRAELIS HELD INSIDE IF GAZA, BUT EACH ONE OF THOSE MEMBERS IS A HUGE -- A HUMAN, IT IS A FAMILY MEMBER OF SOMEONE, AND THEY WERE DRAGGED INTO GAZA A AGAINST THEIR WILL. AND THE DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE BY THIS GOVERNMENT AS WE SPEAK WILL HAVE DIRECT IMPACTS ON THE ISRAELI PEOPLE AND THE ENTIRE WORLD THAT IS WATCHING WHAT HAPPENS TO THIS COUNTRY. PETE: FREY, GREAT REPORTING -- TREY, GREAT REPORTING. BY THE WAY, CHECK OUT "BLACK SATURDAY," TREY'S BOOK