The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced that, according to their own account, they have located the bodies of the last remaining missing hostage in the northern Gaza Strip after the attack on October 7. After successful identification, the remains will be taken for burial. The deceased was a former staff sergeant who is believed to have been murdered on the day of the assault.
During the weekend, the IDF conducted several covert operations to approach the suspected site. The information about the corpse did not come from Hamas.
For Israel, securing the liberation of all living hostages and recovering the dead were both seen as priorities.
The October 7 attack, launched by Hamas from the Gaza Strip, killed roughly 1,200 Israelis immediately. Around 240 people were initially taken captive, many of whom later died. In the two‑year‑long retaliatory campaign that followed, it is estimated that at least 62,000 Palestinians in Gaza lost their lives.
