JERUSALEM: The Israeli military announced on Friday it had recovered the remains of two hostages during an operation in the Gaza Strip.
“In an IDF (Israeli military) operation, the body of Ilan Weiss was recovered, along with remains of another fallen hostage whose name has not yet been released, from the Gaza Strip,“ the army said in a statement.
Weiss was killed and abducted from kibbutz Beeri in southern Israel during Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023 that sparked the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
His wife Shiri and daughter Noga, kidnapped at their home, were released in November 2023, during the first truce.
“Together with all citizens of Israel, my wife and I convey our heartfelt condolences to the dear families and share in their deep sorrow,“ said a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
“The campaign to return the hostages is ongoing. We will neither rest nor be silent until we bring all of our hostages back home, the living and the deceased,“ it added.
Out of 251 hostages seized during Hamas’s assault, 47 are still held in Gaza, with around 20 of them believed to be alive. – AFP