The Israeli military says special forces have recovered the body of a soldier killed in the 2014 Gaza war, which had been held hostage by Hamas since then.
Staff Sgt Oron Shaul’s remains were found during a “covert, special operation” by the Israeli military and Shin Bet security service in Gaza, according to a statement.
His family was informed following an identification procedure carried out by the National Institute of Forensic Medicine and the Military Rabbinate, it added.
Hamas had been expected to hand over Shaul’s remains as part of the new Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal, which was meant to be implemented on Sunday morning but has been delayed.
The Palestinian armed group is also holding three other Israelis seized before its 7 October 2023 attack on Israel, which triggered the current war in Gaza.
One of them is another soldier who was killed in combat in 2014, Lt Hadar Goldin.
The two others are civilians believed to still be alive.
Ethiopian-Israeli Avera Mengistu and Bedouin Arab Israeli Hisham al-Sayed were seized in 2014 and 2015 respectively after they crossed into Gaza on their own. The Israeli government has said both suffered from mental health issues at the time.
Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesman Rear Adm Daniel Hagari said Shaul “fell in battle” in Gaza City’s eastern Shejaiya district on 20 July 2014 and “was abducted by the Hamas terrorist organisation”.
“This was a significant intelligence and operational undertaking that lasted over the past decade since his fall and abduction, and especially during the war and over the past few days,” he told a briefing.
The operation to bring Shaul’s body home for burial was conducted by special units from the IDF’s Military Intelligence Directorate, the Shayetet 13 marine commando unit and Shin Bet operatives, he said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commended the special forces involved “for their resourcefulness and their bravery”.
He said photos of Shaul and Goldin had “been before me in my office for many years as daily testimony to my commitment to bring them back home”.
“We have completed the mission to bring back Oron and will not rest until we also complete the mission to bring back Hadar Goldin,” he added.
“We will continue to act to return all of our hostages, the living and the deceased.”
Netanyahu issued the statement shortly after he said the start of the Gaza ceasefire would be delayed until Hamas confirmed the names of the first hostages it planned to release in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas blamed technical problems for failing to hand over the list, and said it was still committed to the deal.
Israel launched a campaign to destroy Hamas in response to the 7 October 2023 attack, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
Almost 46,900 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory’s Hamas-run health ministry. Most of the 2.3 million population has been displaced, there is widespread destruction, and there are severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine and shelter due to a struggle to get aid to those in need.
Israel says 94 of the hostages are still being held by Hamas, of whom 34 are presumed dead.
The first six-week phase of the ceasefire deal should see 33 hostages – including women, children and elderly people – exchanged for Palestinian prisoners being held by Israel.
Israeli forces will also withdraw to the east, away from densely populated areas of Gaza, while displaced Palestinians will be allowed to begin returning to their homes and hundreds of aid lorries will be allowed into the territory each day.
Negotiations for the second phase – which should see the remaining hostages released, a full Israeli troop withdrawal and a return to “sustainable calm” – will start on the 16th day of the ceasefire.
The third and final stage will involve the reconstruction of Gaza – something which could take years – and the return of any remaining hostages’ bodies.
By BBC News
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