Another Israeli hostage's body has been recovered from the Gaza Strip and returned to Israel. The operation to retrieve the body took place overnight Friday, lasting several hours. The body of 47-year-old Elad Katzir was excavated from underground in a compound located in the southern part of Khan Yunes. Katzir's mother, Hanna, who was also a hostage, was released on Nov. 24, 2023, as part of a temporary cease-fire.
The Israel Security Agency (ISA) and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that Katzir was 'murdered in captivity,' likely in January of this year. Hamas and Islamic Jihad are still holding 133 hostages. Katzir's sister claimed on Facebook that Hamas had murdered her brother, while the ISA and IDF indicated that Islamic Jihad likely bore responsibility.
Following an identification procedure carried out by medical officials at the Institute of Forensic Medicine, IDF and ISA representatives informed Katzir's family that his body had been rescued. The IDF and ISA expressed their deepest condolences to the family.
Katzir and his mother were abducted on Oct. 7 from Kibbutz Nir Oz. Katzir was a farmer and social activist who volunteered for the 'Hadar Foundation,' fighting for the release of two Israeli soldiers whose bodies are held in Gaza. The ISA and IDF are working in full coordination with relevant national and security bodies to retrieve all hostages and will continue until the task is complete.
