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Israel’s army stated on Saturday that it had recovered the physique of a person who was taken hostage from one of many communities hardest hit throughout the Hamas-led Oct. 7 assault, virtually six months to the day after his abduction.
The person, Elad Katzir, 47, was killed by his captors in mid-January whereas being held in Gaza by Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the Israeli army spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, stated in a information briefing on Saturday. Mr. Hagari cited a number of intelligence sources however didn’t present particulars. The Israeli army’s assertion that Mr. Katzir had been killed by his captors couldn’t be independently verified.
Mr. Katzir had lived in Nir Oz, a kibbutz close to the border with the Gaza Strip. Over 1 / 4 of its greater than 400 residents have been both killed or kidnapped within the assault — together with Mr. Katzir’s father, Avraham, who was killed, and mom, Hanna, who was additionally taken hostage, in keeping with the Israeli army.
Hanna Katzir was launched in November as a part of a short cease-fire deal between Israel and Hamas wherein greater than 100 hostages have been returned. The return of Ms. Katzir, 76, surprised a few of her members of the family as a result of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, a militant group backed by Iran, had earlier claimed that she was lifeless.
The households of the greater than 130 hostages held in Gaza have expressed mounting anger and despair, saying that the Israeli authorities isn’t doing sufficient to achieve a deal for his or her launch. On Saturday, Mr. Katzir’s sister, Carmit Katzir, 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. “However our management are cowards, motivated by political issues, and thus it didn’t occur.”
About 100 hostages are nonetheless being held by Palestinian militants in Gaza, in keeping with the Israeli authorities; over 30 others at the moment are presumed lifeless.
The Israeli army 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. Round 8 p.m. on Friday evening, Israeli forces arrived in southern Khan Younis, remoted the world and excavated his physique from the place he was buried underground, the army official stated.
Forensic pathologists in Israel confirmed his identification, and officers then knowledgeable his household, the army stated. Mr. Hagari, the Israeli army spokesman, advised reporters that he had spoken with Mr. Katzir’s sister after she posted her message on Fb and expressed his condolences and an understanding of the urgency of the hostage scenario.
Islamic Jihad had launched not less than 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 demise of an in depth pal from Nir Oz.
Poland’s Ministry of Overseas Affairs famous on social media that Mr. Katzir was additionally a Polish citizen and conveyed its “deepest condolences” to household and associates. “Could he relaxation in peace,” the put up acknowledged.
Over the previous a number of weeks, Israel and Hamas have resumed oblique negotiations over a attainable cease-fire and the discharge of not less than some hostages. Hamas stated in a press release 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 “army 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 fireplace, have demanded extra quick motion.
“Your story shouldn’t have ended like this,” Ms. Katzir wrote of her brother on Fb on Saturday. “I’m sorry we couldn’t prevent,” she wrote, including, “I like you without end.”
Ephrat Livni contributed reporting.
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