The IDF and Shin Bet announced on Friday that they had located and identified the body of hostage Ilan Weiss in Gaza, along with what appears to be the remains of another hostage whose identity has not yet been released.
“Together with all the citizens of Israel, my wife and I send our heartfelt condolences to the dear families and share in their deep sorrow,” Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu said in a statement.
“The campaign to bring back the hostages continues without pause. We will not rest and we will not be silent until we return all our hostages home, both the living and the fallen.”
According to the military, the process of confirming the identity of the second hostage is still underway, and relatives have already been informed.
“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,” wrote President Isaac Herzog.
“I wish to express profound appreciation to our heroic fighters who risk their lives day and night to return all the hostages – the living and the fallen alike,” Defense Minister Israel Katz said. He emphasized that the mission of retrieving the captives is the “central goal of the approaching maneuver.”
Weiss, age 56, lived in Kibbutz Be’eri near the Gaza border and was part of the community’s emergency response team. In January 2024, the kibbutz confirmed he had been murdered during the October 7 attack, with Hamas taking his body back into Gaza.
His wife, Shiri, and daughter, Noga, were also seized by Hamas on that day but were freed in late November 2023 during a brief truce.
Two of his other daughters, Meytal and Maayan, managed to escape the terrorists by hiding and were rescued by IDF soldiers.
The family’s dog, Ketem, was also killed by the attackers during the abduction of Shiri and Noga.
{Matzav.com Israel}
