Israel says body of hostage recovered during overnight Gaza raid

Israel says it has recovered the body of Elad Katzir, a man who was taken hostage during the 7 October Hamas attack on southern Israel.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that Mr Katzir’s body was recovered from Gaza overnight and brought back to Israel.

“The body of the abductee Elad Katzir, who according to intelligence was murdered in captivity by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organisation, was rescued overnight from Khan Yunis and returned to Israeli territory,” the IDF said, adding that the victim was identified by medical officials and that his family has been informed.

Mr Katzir, 47, was abducted along with his mother Hanna Katzir from Kibbutz Nir Oz on 7 October when Hamas and other affiliated Islamist groups attacked southern Israel, killing an estimated 1,200 Israelis and taking more than 250 people hostage.

Ms Katzir was among 23 hostages released in November as part of a series of temporary ceasefire agreements and prisoner swaps, while his father was murdered in Nir Oz.

“Our mission is to locate and return the [remaining] abductees home,” the IDF said.

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