IDF Confirms Recovery of Hostage’s Body, Raises Fears for Son’s Fate
The IDF confirmed in a press briefing on Wednesday that the body of hostage Youssef Ziyadne, 53, who was abducted by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, has been recovered from a tunnel in southern Gaza’s Rafah. His body was returned to Israel for identification.
The military also announced that evidence linked to Youssef’s son, Hamza, who was abducted alongside him, was found in the same tunnel. The IDF described the findings as raising “grave concerns for his life.” Alongside Ziyadne’s remains, the IDF found the bodies of at least two Hamas operatives believed to have been guarding him.
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“With this, I would like to remind you that we still have, what depends on the results … 98, 91 hostages still being held by Hamas in inhumane conditions in Gaza,” the IDF spokesperson stated. “We have a moral obligation to do everything we can to bring them home. This is why we’re operating in Gaza, and this is why we have to keep operating in Gaza.”
Youssef and three of his children—Hamza, 22, Bilal, 18, and Aisha, 17—were taken by Hamas during the assault on Kibbutz Holit. Bilal and Aisha were released on November 30, 2023, after more than 50 days in captivity.
Despite the IDF’s statement, Defense Minister Israel Katz claimed in a separate announcement that the bodies of both Youssef and Hamza were recovered “in a heroic operation.” Katz extended his condolences to the Ziyadne family.
