Israeli Military Confirms Death of Israeli Hostage in Gaza
The Israeli military has announced the discovery of the bodies of two hostages who were kidnapped by Hamas in the Gaza Strip in October. The bodies were found in a tunnel in the Rafah area.
Hamza Al-Ziyadnah, 23, was identified as one of the hostages, along with his father, Yosef Al-Ziyadnah, 53. The pair were taken from Kibbutz Holit in southwest Israel on October 7, along with three other family members, including Bilal and Aysha, who were later released as part of a short-lived ceasefire deal in November.
Hamza and Yosef were among 98 remaining hostages still being held in Gaza, including 36 who are presumed to be dead. According to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, 36 of the hostages are assumed to have died in captivity, including 15 who are believed to have died in the first month of captivity.
The announcement of the discovery of the bodies has sparked grief and outrage from the Al-Ziyadnah family and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. The group has called for a deal to be reached to release the remaining hostages, citing the “hell of Gaza captivity” they have endured.
Talks between the United States, Qatar, and Egypt to broker a deal between Hamas and Israel have stalled, with both sides negotiating over the terms of the deal. Hamas has rejected Israel’s demand for a 1-kilometer strip of territory along the Gaza border, while Israel has maintained that the condition is non-negotiable.
US President Joe Biden has expressed optimism about the negotiations, saying that “real progress” is being made. However, a senior Biden administration official has sounded a more cautious tone, stating that the negotiations remain “difficult.”ovolbere failure to reach a solution before the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, who has warned that if the hostages are not released by January 20, “all hell will break out in the Middle East.”