The body of a soldier abducted by Gaza militants on October 7 was rescued and taken to Israel, the Israeli military said on Wednesday.
The military said the rescue operation took place overnight and that his name would not be published at the request of his family.
"The soldier fell during the October 7th massacre and he was taken hostage in the Gaza Strip," it said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the soldiers involved in the operation and said he would continue to exert every effort to bring back to Israel all "of the remaining hostages and bodies."
A fallen IDF soldier who was abducted on October 7 and held hostage in Gaza was rescued and brought back to Israel.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 28, 2024
The soldier fell during the October 7 Massacre and his body was taken hostage into Gaza. His family has been notified. At the request of his family, his name will… pic.twitter.com/PJkhrV5Vi9
There are still 108 hostages remaining in Gaza being held by militant groups. Around a third of these are thought to have died, with the fate of the others unknown.
The army has not confirmed how many are alive or dead.
Hamas and Israeli leaders are continuing talks through mediators in a push to secure a hostage deal and bring an end to 10-month old war.
It comes after Qaid Farhan Alkadi was rescued on Tuesday after 326 days of captivity in Gaza. Israeli forces scoured Hamas' vast tunnel network found and freed him.
He was the eighth hostage to be rescued by Israeli forces since about 250 were kidnapped during the Oct. 7 attack that ignited the war, and the first to be found alive underground.
Alkadi was found in a southern Gaza tunnel where hostages were suspected to be alongside militants and explosives, according to the military. He was held in a number of locations during his captivity, according to Israel's military spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari.
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the rescue was part of the army's "daring and courageous activities conducted deep inside the Gaza Strip."
