Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad said Thursday they plan to transfer the body of a deceased Israeli hostage to Israel this evening at 8 p.m., according to a joint statement released by the terror groups. The body was reportedly found earlier in the day north of Khan Younis.

The groups did not identify the hostage. Four deceased Israeli hostages are still held in Gaza.

Israeli officials familiar with the matter told Kan 11 News that Hamas maintains full information on all four bodies still in the Gaza Strip — including those held by Islamic Jihad. The officials said the data includes the hostages’ whereabouts and circumstances of death.

The officials stressed that Israel must intensify both diplomatic and security pressure on Hamas to secure the return of all four bodies, rejecting any partial agreements.

“They must all be brought back — down to the very last one,” one official said, underscoring growing frustration within Israel’s defense establishment over the prolonged standoff.

Search efforts are currently underway in coordination with the Red Cross and Hamas representatives, as part of a broader effort to resolve the fate of hostages and missing persons.

Asharq Al-Awsat reported earlier Wednesday that of the four deceased hostages, one is held by Hamas, another by Islamic Jihad, and two are located in territory under Israeli military control, east of the so-called Yellow Line.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)