Israel mentioned on Saturday its particular forces had recovered the physique of a hostage killed whereas being held captive in Gaza, as Hamas mentioned it will participate in a brand new spherical of ceasefire talks in Cairo.
Nearly six months into the struggle, Israel has confronted protests at house demanding a deal to free the dwindling variety of stay hostages from the Oct. 7 cross-border assaults by Hamas, the Palestinian militant group that runs Gaza.
Western international locations, in the meantime, have voiced outrage over what they see as an unacceptably excessive Palestinian civilian toll and the accompanying humanitarian disaster.
The physique of Elad Katzir, a 47-year-old Israeli farmer, was unearthed by commandos within the southern metropolis of Khan Younis in a single day, the navy mentioned. He had been killed by his captors — members of Islamic Jihad, a militant group allied with Hamas — and buried there in mid-January, it mentioned, citing intelligence details about which it declined to elaborate.
Islamic Jihad had no speedy remark.
The physique of hostage Elad Katzir was rescued by safety forces in a single day from Khan Yunis and returned to Israeli territory. <br><br>Elad Katzir was kidnapped from Kibbutz Nir Oz by the Islamic Jihad terrorist group through the October 7 Bloodbath. His mom, Hanna, was additionally…
—@IDF
Katzir was amongst 253 folks dragged into Gaza by Hamas-led gunmen who killed some 1,200 others in southern Israel, based on official Israeli tallies, sparking an offensive that well being officers within the enclave say has killed greater than 33,000 Palestinians.
His father Avraham was killed of their kibbutz, Nir Oz, and his mom Hanna was additionally taken hostage however freed in November beneath a week-long truce.
Qatari and Egyptian mediators have been hoping to safe one other settlement that may return a few of the 129 remaining hostages.
Delegation will go to Cairo, Hamas says
Angered by an Israeli airstrike that killed help staff in Gaza, together with a Canadian, U.S. President Joe Biden on Thursday urged an “speedy ceasefire” and for Israel to spice up humanitarian reduction measures.
Hamas mentioned it will ship a delegation to Cairo on Sunday for a brand new spherical of mediated talks. Israel was undecided on whether or not to attend, an Israeli official mentioned, citing concern that the occasion can be “extra political theatre than precise progress.”
Israel says it fired two navy officers and reprimanded others after an Israeli drone killed a bunch of help staff in Gaza. It launched particulars about how the drone strikes performed out, mistaking one of many help staff as a Hamas militant. Critics say Israel is not doing sufficient to guard harmless lives.
Hamas says any deal should result in an finish to the struggle and withdrawal of Israeli forces. Israel has mentioned that, after any truce, it will topple Hamas, which is sworn to its destruction.
In a Jan. 8 video posted on-line by Islamic Jihad, Katzir mentioned: “I used to be near dying greater than as soon as. It is a miracle I am nonetheless alive…. I wish to inform my household that I really like them very a lot and I miss them very a lot.”
Based mostly on numerous sources of data, Israel has declared no less than 35 hostages as useless in Gaza captivity. Palestinian factions have mentioned some had been killed in Israeli strikes. Whereas confirming this in a number of circumstances, Israel says that, in others, hostages whose our bodies had been recovered bore indicators of execution.
