Israel’s military recovered the body of Ilan Weiss and the remains of another hostage during a Gaza operation, reaffirming its vow to continue efforts to return all hostages, amid an escalating offensive in Gaza City.
The Israeli military announced on Friday that it had recovered the body of Ilan Weiss, abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri during the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, along with the remains of another unnamed hostage in an operation in the Gaza Strip .
Weiss’s wife, Shiri, and daughter, Noga, were also taken during the attack but were released in November 2023 . Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office extended condolences, stating: “Together with all citizens of Israel, my wife and I convey our heartfelt condolences to the dear families and share in their deep sorrow” .
The military emphasized that “the campaign to return the hostages is ongoing. We will neither rest nor be silent until we bring all of our hostages back home, the living and the deceased” . Currently, 47–49 hostages remain in Gaza, with around 20 believed to be alive .