Israeli forces have retrieved the bodies of two hostages, that of Ilan Weiss and another, unnamed, individual, that Hamas terrorists had kept in the Gaza Strip, the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem said on Friday.
Weiss, 56, was murdered on Oct. 7, 2023, while defending Kibbutz Be’eri, and his corpse was taken to Gaza, according to the statement. His daughter and wife, Noga and Shiri, were also abducted. They were released in November 2023 as part of a hostage deal.
The name of the other Israeli whose body has been retrieved in the joint IDF and Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet) operation has not yet been cleared for publication.
With the retrieval of the two bodies, Hamas is believed to be holding 20 living hostages and another 28 bodies.
Defense Minister Israel Katz on X noted that Weiss was the deputy head of Be’eri’s emergency response team, “who, alongside other heroes, heroically managed the containment battle in the kibbutz and prevented a greater disaster.”
Katz expressed “profound appreciation to our heroic fighters who risk their lives day and night to return all the hostages—the living and the fallen alike.”
The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in a statement that the operation was “made possible due to precise intelligence from the Hostages and Missing Headquarters, the Intelligence Directorate” and the Shin Bet.
“Along with all the citizens of Israel, my wife and I extend our heartfelt condolences to the dear families and share in their heavy grief,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. “I thank our commanders and fighters for a successful operation, for their determination and courage. The campaign to return the hostages continues unabated, we will not rest or stand still until we return all our hostages home — the living and the dead alike.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog wrote on X that, “Ilan showed courage and noble spirit when he fought the terrorists on that dark day. In his death, he gave life. And ever since, his family has shown extraordinary strength in their struggle for his return.”
Herzog added: “The horrors committed by Hamas, murder, torture, abduction, are crimes against humanity. The world must show moral clarity, apply pressure, and act for the immediate release of all the hostages.”
