Body of hostage Idan Shtivi identified after Gaza recovery

The second hostage whose body was recently recovered from Gaza has been identified as that of Idan Shtivi, the Israel Defense Forces said on Saturday, a day after naming Ilan Weiss as the other captive brought back in a joint IDF and Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet) operation.

Shtivi was 28 on Oct. 7, 2023 when Hamas terrorists murdered him after he acted to rescue and evacuate attendees from the Nova music festival near Kibbutz Re’im in southern Israel. His body was abducted from the Tel Gama area in the northwestern Negev. His name was publicized after the identification process was completed at the Institute of Forensic Medicine.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Shtivi “courageous” in a statement published by his office on Saturday, expressing sympathy for his family on behalf of the Israeli people. The premier spoke with Shtivi’s family and also that of Weiss, 56, who was murdered on Oct. 7 while defending Kibbutz Be’eri.

“The Prime Minister joined the families in their sorrow and praised the courage of Ilan and Idan, who acted on October 7 to save lives, saying that thanks to the bravery of our fighters, we succeeded in bringing their loved ones to a proper Jewish burial,” said Netanyahu’s office. “The Prime Minister said that efforts are ongoing, without pause, to return all hostages, both living and deceased.”

Israeli President Isaac Herzog expressed his hope in an X post Saturday that “this will bring a measure of comfort to his beloved parents, Eli and Dalit, and to his siblings, who have shown remarkable strength in their determined struggle for his return,” adding that “these moments of deep sorrow remind us of one truth: Hamas’ crimes are crimes against humanity. The world must act with moral clarity and press for the release of all the hostages. Every last one.”

The IDF and Shin Bet also conveyed their condolences to the families in a statement announcing Shtivi’s identification, saying that they would “continue every effort possible to bring all the hostages home.”

With the retrieval of the two bodies, Hamas is believed to now be holding 20 living hostages and another 28 bodies.

Netanyahu described Shtivi as a “talented student of sustainability and government, and a courageous individual.”

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum said that Shtivi was a “student of environmental sustainability, a person who wanted to make the world a better place. He was passionate about extreme sports and free diving. He loved nature, photography, animals, and especially dogs. He came to the Nova festival to photograph and document his friends who were playing music and leading workshops.”