The body of an Israeli hostage held captive by militants in Gaza since the October 7 attack has been identified after his remains were recovered, the military said on Friday, reports AFP.
Following a forensic examination, the Israeli military said it notified the family of Hamza al-Zayadna that he "was killed in Hamas captivity," after on Wednesday announcing that the body of his father Youssef had been recovered and brought back to Israel.
The Arab Bedouin father and son were seized by Palestinian militants from Kibbutz Holit near the Gaza border during the deadliest-ever attack on Israel.
Kidnapped with them were Hamza's sister and brother, who were released during a week-long truce in November 2023.
Unconfirmed reports had emerged on Wednesday on the fate of Hamza al-Zayadna, though on Friday the military confirmed his remains had been identified.
The 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,208 people on the Israeli side, mostly civilians, according to Israeli official figures.
Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed 46,006 people in Gaza, the majority of them civilians, according to figures from the Hamas-run territory's health ministry which the United Nations considers reliable.
