The Israeli military announced on Friday that it had recovered the body of a deceased hostage, Ilan Weiss, and the remains of another unidentified hostage from Gaza as Israel intensifies its military operations in the largest city amid conflict with Hamas, according to a report published by The Associated Press.
Who Was Ilan Weiss?
According to the report, 56-year-old Weiss from Kibbutz Be’eri was killed while defending his community during the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023. Initially believed to have been abducted, Israeli authorities confirmed in January last year that Weiss was killed in the assault. Be’eri’s wife and daughter — Shiri and Noga — were taken hostage during the attack but were released during a ceasefire in November 2023, as reported by AP.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Office confirmed the recovery of Weiss’s body alongside another unidentified hostage, although the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) did not specify where in Gaza the remains were found.
Meanwhile, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum expressed both grief and relief, reportedly saying the recovery “provides some comfort to the family after 692 days of waiting in the nightmare of uncertainty.” Following the latest recovery, 48 hostages now remain in Hamas’s captivity in Gaza, with about 20 of them still believed to be alive.
Gaza’s Largest City Declared Combat Zone
On the same day, Israel declared Gaza City a dangerous combat zone as it entered the “initial stages” of a planned military offensive, per AP. The Israeli military, the report said, suspended its previous midday pauses that allowed humanitarian aid to reach civilians, which analysts say indicates a ramp-up in combat operations.
“We will intensify our strikes until we bring back all the kidnapped hostages and dismantle Hamas,” AP quoted Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee as saying.
Adraee, who communicates in Arabic to reach Gaza’s population, urged residents to flee south, calling the evacuation “inevitable” despite aid groups warning of severe obstacles to escape.
Humanitarian Concerns as Fighting Escalates
Despite calls for evacuations, many Gaza residents have chosen to stay. According to the report, the Holy Family Church in Gaza City is sheltering around 440 people and the clergy have committed to remaining alongside them. Farid Jubran of the church told the news agency, “When we feel danger, people get closer to the walls or whatever, it’s more protected,” though the building offers limited defense.
The United Nations, meanwhile, said that 23,000 people evacuated over the past week but underlined the exhaustion and skepticism among Palestinians about fleeing without safe destinations.
The UN has warned that the offensive would have a “horrific impact on people already exhausted, malnourished, bereaved, displaced, and deprived of basics needed for survival.”
Israel had previously introduced “tactical pauses” in fighting to ease humanitarian conditions but suspended them as operations in Gaza City resumed. Gaza City — believed to be a Hamas stronghold — reportedly houses a network of tunnels used by militants and vital infrastructure including health facilities. The UN has warned that the war-ravaged territory could lose half its hospital bed capacity if Israel continues its planned invasion.
Netanyahu’s Statement on Hostage Recovery
Emphasising Israel’s effort toward hostage recovery, Netanyahu reportedly said, “The campaign to return the hostages continues continuously. We will not rest or be silent until we return all of our hostages home – both the living and the dead.”
