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Israel’s navy mentioned on Saturday that it had recovered the physique of a person who was taken hostage from one of many communities hardest-hit through the Hamas-led Oct. 7 assault, virtually six months to the day after his abduction.
The man, 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 short 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 dead.
The households of the remaining 133 hostages held in Gaza have expressed mounting anger and despair, saying that the Israeli authorities just isn’t doing sufficient to achieve 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 at the moment are presumed dead.
The Israeli navy mentioned 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 mentioned.
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 very 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 mentioned he had been held for greater than 90 days and described listening to on the radio of the dying of a detailed buddy 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 very least some hostages. Hamas mentioned 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 power the group to return to the desk. The households of lots of the hostages, fearing that their family members could possibly be killed by their captors or by errant Israeli fireplace, have demanded extra rapid motion.
Mr. Katzir’s sister, Carmit, denounced the Israeli authorities for not reaching an settlement in time to safe her brother’s launch.
“He may have been saved if there had been a deal in time,” she wrote of her brother on Facebook on Saturday. “But 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 endlessly.”
