The Government of Israel has confirmed the receipt of the remains of a murdered hostage, delivered by the International Committee of the Red Cross.
The announcement was made by the Prime Minister's Office, following complex humanitarian coordination in the southern Gaza Strip.
According to the official statement, a military rabbi will conduct a brief religious ceremony in honor of the hostage before the remains are transferred to the National Center of Forensic Medicine, under the Ministry of Health, to confirm the identity through scientific testing.
The victim's family has already been notified, and the Government has asked the public and the media to act with utmost sensitivity and refrain from spreading rumors until forensic verifications are completed.
The handover comes after a statement from Hamas's armed wing, the Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades, which claimed to have located "the body of an Israeli prisoner" during internal search operations.
The terrorist group added that it would proceed with the handover "if security conditions allowed," and warned that any "Zionist escalation" could hinder efforts to recover bodies.
Israeli military sources indicated that, in recent days, specialized teams from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have continued working in southern Gaza, particularly in the Khan Yunis area, where it is believed that bodies of hostages murdered during the October 7, 2023 attack may still be found.
The Israeli Government emphasized that each recovery, no matter how painful, represents another step in the State of Israel's commitment to bring all its citizens home, alive or dead.
Meanwhile, Israeli society continues to await news of the remaining hostages, and the country reaffirms its determination not to abandon any of them and to continue demanding their return, in the name of justice and humanity.
