Israel’s navy stated on Saturday that it had recovered the physique of a person who was taken hostage from one of many communities hardest-hit in the course of the Hamas-led Oct. 7 assault, nearly six months to the day after his abduction.
The person, Elad Katzir, 47, lived in Nir Oz, a kibbutz close to the border with the Gaza Strip. Over 1 / 4 of its greater than 400 residents had been both killed or kidnapped within the assault — together with Mr. Katzir’s father, Avraham, who was killed, and mom, Hanna, was additionally taken hostage, in keeping with the Israeli navy.
Hanna Katzir was launched in November as a part of a quick cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas wherein greater than 100 hostages had been returned. The return of Ms. Katzir, 76, shocked a few of her relations, as a result of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a militant group backed by Iran, had earlier claimed that she was lifeless.
The households of the remaining 133 hostages held in Gaza have expressed mounting anger and despair, saying that the Israeli authorities shouldn’t be doing sufficient to succeed in a deal for his or her launch. About 100 hostages are nonetheless being held by Palestinian militants within the enclave, in keeping with the Israeli authorities; over 30 others are actually presumed lifeless.
The Israeli navy stated that Mr. Katzir’s physique had been recovered by troops in Khan Younis, a metropolis within the southern a part of Gaza the place the Israeli military has been working since December. Forensic pathologists in Israel confirmed his identification, and officers then knowledgeable his household, the navy stated.
It was not instantly clear when and the way Mr. Katzir had died. The Israeli navy’s assertion that he had been killed by his captors, Islamic Jihad, couldn’t be verified.
Islamic Jihad had launched at the least two movies of Mr. Katzir, a farmer who was born in Nir Oz. He was final seen in a video launched in early January, wherein he stated he had been held for greater than 90 days and described listening to on the radio of the dying of a detailed pal from Nir Oz.
Over the previous a number of weeks, Israel and Hamas have resumed oblique negotiations over a potential cease-fire and the discharge of at the least some hostages. Hamas stated in an announcement on Telegram on Saturday {that a} delegation of its management would journey to Cairo on Sunday for additional negotiations.
On Friday, President Biden despatched messages to the leaders of Egypt and Qatar — who act as intermediaries between Hamas and Israel — urging them to extend strain on Hamas to make a deal. He has pressed Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, to do the identical.
Israeli leaders have insisted that continued “navy strain” on Hamas will drive the group to come back to the desk. The households of lots of the hostages, fearing that their family members may very well be killed by their captors or by errant Israeli hearth, have demanded extra instant motion.
Mr. Katzir’s sister, Carmit, denounced the Israeli authorities for not reaching an settlement in time to safe her brother’s launch.
“He might have been saved if there had been a deal in time,” she wrote of her brother on Fb on Saturday. “However our management are cowards, motivated by political issues, and thus it didn’t occur.
“Your story shouldn’t have ended like this. I’m sorry we couldn’t prevent,” she wrote to her brother. “I like you ceaselessly.”
