The Israeli military announced on Saturday that it had successfully retrieved the body of an Israeli hostage in a nighttime operation in the Gaza Strip.
Elad Katzir's remains were brought back to Israel following a mission in Khan Younis, a city in southern Gaza, as confirmed by the Israel Defense Forces.
According to Israeli military intelligence, Katzir passed away while in the custody of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), a militant group that, alongside Hamas, was involved in the October 7 attacks. Both Hamas and PIJ are classified as terrorist organizations by the United States and the European Union. Carmit, expressing disappointment, stated, "He could have been rescued if a timely agreement had been reached," citing photographic evidence of Katzir alive while in captivity. "Our leadership is timid and driven by political motives, which is why it did not happen."
Katzir, who was 47 years old at the time, was abducted by PIJ from Kibbutz Nir Oz, a community near the Gaza border that was heavily affected by the Hamas-led assaults.
In a video released by Al-Quds Brigades, PIJ's military wing, in December, Katzir appeared alongside another hostage named Gadi Moses, pleading for their release.
Hanna, Katzir's mother, was also captured but was later released on November 24 during a 7-day truce and hostage-prisoner exchange. Tragically, Katzir's father, Avraham-Rami Katzir, lost his life during the attack on the kibbutz.
Katzir, who grew up in Nir Oz and worked on agricultural irrigation, served as the liaison between the kibbutz and the military. The IDF has reiterated its commitment to locating and repatriating the remaining approximately 130 hostages in Gaza "until the mission is accomplished."
Meanwhile, Hamas has announced its intention to send a delegation to Cairo for renewed talks regarding a hostage agreement, coinciding with President Joe Biden's recent call for Israel to promptly reach a cease-fire agreement.