Tel Aviv, Israel – Israel has confirmed that it has received the body of a hostage whose remains were handed over by Palestinian militants in Gaza on Thursday.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the transfer was facilitated through the International Committee of the Red Cross, after Hamas and Islamic Jihad located the remains in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis.
Following a forensic examination, the body was identified as 73-year-old hostage Meny Godard, an Israeli resident who lived near the Gaza Strip, who now has been returned for burial.
According to the IDF, Godard was killed during the October 2023 attack, when Islamic Jihad militant, an ally of Hamas, ambushed him and his wife as they attempted to escape.
His wife was also killed hours later, but only Godard’s body was taken into Gaza.
He was officially declared dead in December 2023.
In a statement, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Hamas still must fully commit to bringing home all remaining fallen hostages as required under the U.S.-brokered ceasefire.
Under the deal, Hamas agreed to return 20 living hostages and the remains of 28 deceased captives.
This latest handover means 25 out of the 28 bodies have now been returned, leaving three still believed to be inside Gaza.
Hamas has previously explained that it is struggling to recover some of the bodies because of the immense destruction in Gaza.
Meanwhile, more than 69,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since the two-year conflict began.
The number includes death by the ongoing ceasefire.