The Israeli army said on Wednesday (4) that it recovered the body of Itay Svirsky, who was taken hostage on October 7, 2023 and later killed while in Hamas captivity, according to a statement from the Israeli military.
A statement from the Hostage Families Forum, which represents family members of hostages held by Hamas, said returning Itay’s “body for proper burial in Israel provides crucial closure for his family.”
The army statement said Svirsky’s family had been notified.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Svirsky’s body was recovered in a special operation and thanked Israeli security forces.
“Our hearts are broken by the great loss of the Svirsky family,” Netanyahu said.
Understand the conflict in the Gaza Strip
Israel has carried out intense airstrikes in the Gaza Strip since last year, after Hamas invaded the country and killed 1,200 people, according to Israeli counts. Furthermore, the radical group holds dozens of hostages.
Hamas does not recognize Israel as a state and claims Israeli territory for Palestine.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly promised to destroy Hamas’ military capabilities and recover people detained in Gaza.
In addition to the air offensive, the Israeli Army carries out land incursions into Palestinian territory. This caused much of Gaza’s population to be displaced.
The UN and several humanitarian institutions have warned of a catastrophic humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, with a lack of food, medicine and the spread of diseases.
The Israeli population is constantly protesting against Netanyahu, accusing the prime minister of failing to reach a ceasefire agreement so that the hostages can be released.
This content was originally published in Israeli army claims to have brought body of a hostage from Gaza to Israel on the CNN Brasil website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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