Israeli forces have recovered the body of slain hostage Ilan Weiss during a joint IDF and Shin Bet operation in the Gaza Strip.

Weiss, 56, was killed on October 7 while defending Kibbutz Be’eri as part of its civilian emergency squad. His body was located alongside the remains of another hostage whose identity has not yet been made public. The second set of remains is undergoing identification at the Abu Kabir National Institute of Forensic Medicine.

Weiss’s wife Shiri and daughter Noga were also taken captive during the Hamas-led assault and later freed as part of a November 2023 truce and hostage-release deal.

According to the IDF, the recovery mission was carried out under the Southern Command, using intelligence from the Military Intelligence Directorate, the Shin Bet, and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. The army described the operation as “complex,” citing coordination across multiple branches.

Prime Minister Netanyahu issued condolences to the families and praised the security forces for their “determination and courage,” vowing that Israel “will not rest until all hostages are returned — the living and the dead.”

As of now, Israeli officials estimate that 48 hostages remain in Gaza, including 20 believed to be alive.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)