Jerusalem, Aug 30 (IANS) — The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced on Friday that it had recovered the remains of an Israeli hostage during ongoing operations in Gaza City.
The victim was identified as Ilan Weiss, 55, from Be’eri, a kibbutz near the Gaza border. Weiss’s wife and daughter were abducted during the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack but were released alive after 50 days as part of a ceasefire-hostage exchange. Weiss had initially been listed as missing until January 1, 2024, when the IDF confirmed he was killed on the day of the assault, a finding later verified by Israel’s National Center for Forensic Medicine.
The recovery was coordinated by the IDF Southern Command, in collaboration with the Intelligence Directorate, Shin Bet, the Hostages and Missing Persons Headquarters, and special forces units. The military said it also recovered remains linked to another deceased hostage, whose identity has not been publicly released.
Israeli authorities say nearly 50 hostages remain in Gaza, with about 20 believed to be alive.
Meanwhile, the IDF announced the suspension of daily humanitarian pauses in fighting and signaled a reduction in aid deliveries, including a halt to airdrops over Gaza City. Israel’s Kan TV reported that the army aims to secure control of Gaza City before the Jewish New Year on September 23, with evacuation notices for residents expected within days.
The Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s armed wing, warned that any Israeli attempt to occupy Gaza City would be “disastrous,” vowing heavy costs for Israel’s military and political leadership. Spokesperson Abu Obeida said Hamas would continue to hold Israeli captives under the same conditions as its fighters and would disclose details in the event of their deaths.
The warnings came as the IDF confirmed it had begun “preliminary operations and initial stages” of an assault on Gaza City, with forces operating at “great intensity” on its outskirts.
