The Israeli military announced on Friday that the body of a hostage found in a tunnel in southern Gaza has been identified as Hamza Al-Ziyadnah, the son of Yosef Al-Ziyadnah, whose body was recovered earlier in the week. Hamza, 23, was discovered dead in a tunnel in the Rafah area, according to a joint statement from the Israel Defense Forces and the Internal Security Agency, known as Shin Bet.
Yousef Al-Ziyadnah, 53, and his son Hamza were abducted during a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and had been held captive in the Gaza Strip. The Al-Ziyadnah family belongs to the Bedouin Muslim-Arab community residing in southern Israel's Negev desert.
Yousef and three of his children were taken from Kibbutz Holit in southwest Israel, where they worked. While Bilal and Aysha were among the hostages returned in a ceasefire deal in November 2023, Yosef and Hamza remained in captivity.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum expressed sorrow over Hamza's death and reiterated their call for the release of the remaining hostages held in Gaza. They emphasized the need for urgent negotiations to secure the return of all hostages, both living and deceased, for proper burial and rehabilitation.
The forum highlighted the opportunity at hand for a historic agreement and urged swift action to ensure the safe return of all hostages. The tragic fate of Yosef and Hamza underscores the importance of expediting efforts to bring closure to this distressing situation.
