The Israeli navy stated on Wednesday it had discovered the physique of a hostage taken by Israel on October 7, 2023. in an underground tunnel within the Rafah space of ​​the Gaza Strip, together with proof that raises questions in regards to the situation of one other associated captive.
The lifeless hostage was recognized as Youssef Ziyadne from Rahat, an Arab Bedouin city in southern Israel. Mr. Ziyadne, who was about 50 years outdated, and three of his grown childrenhave been kidnapped from the kibbutz the place he and two of the youngsters labored in the course of the Hamas-led assault on Israel that sparked the Gaza struggle.
Two of Mr Ziyadne’s youngsters, Bilal and Aisha, each late in life, have been launched throughout temporary truce and exchange of hostages for Palestinian prisoners in November 2023.
However the father and his grownup son, Hamza Ziyadne, round 22 on the time of his abduction, stay in captivity. The Israeli navy famous that the identical operation that led to the invention of Youssef Ziyadne’s physique additionally uncovered “findings” associated to Hamza “that increase critical considerations for his life.”
The announcement that one hostage had been discovered lifeless and that the destiny of one other was unsure got here because the captives’ households and President-elect Donald J. Trump pressures Israel and Hamas to strike a deal that might result in a cease-fire and the return of remaining captives before Mr Trump takes office later this month.
Of the 250 hostages taken on October 7, 2023, about 100 stay held in Gaza, with a 3rd or extra of these nonetheless there believed to be lifeless.
In a briefing with reporters on Wednesday, Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli navy spokesman, stated “dozens of hostages” have been nonetheless alive, however declined to present a selected quantity.
Talking about Mr Ziyadne’s discovery, Colonel Shoshani stated our bodies believed to belong to his Hamas bodyguards have been additionally discovered close by, however didn’t say how the hostage or the others had been killed. He additionally didn’t elaborate on the findings, which the navy stated raised considerations in regards to the destiny of Hamza Ziyadne, the son.
“Our hearts ache for the big tragedy of the Ziyadne household,” Israeli President Isaac Herzog stated in a press release. He added: “Time is working out. Yusef was kidnapped alive! Our hostages are in instant hazard to their lives. We should proceed to do every thing we will to urgently return 99 of our brothers and sisters – the dwelling to their households, and the fallen and killed to be laid to relaxation.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been accused by some Israelis of not prioritizing the return of the hostages, on Wednesday expressed “deep sorrow on the bitter information” for the Ziyadne household. He additionally pledged to “proceed to make each effort to safe the discharge of all hostages at house – each the dwelling and the lifeless.”
There are about 300,000 Bedouin within the Negev desert area of southern Israel, and different members of the neighborhood, along with the Ziyadne household, have been killed or taken hostage within the October 7, 2023 assaults. Samer Talalka, a Bedouin, was one of many three hostages mistakenly killed by Israeli forces in December 2023 In August final yr, the Israeli navy brought home alive Farhan al-Qadia Bedouin from a village close to Rahat the place Mr. Ziyadne’s household lives.
The Bedouins are a marginalized minority in Israel with excessive unemployment widespread poverty of their villages, which have lengthy suffered from a scarcity of fundamental providers, together with working water and electrical energy. Some Bedouin, who’re Arab and Muslim, select to serve within the Israeli military or work in kibbutzim or for different Israeli Jews, and are typically seen as traitors by fellow Arabs.
Mr al-Qadi was working as an unarmed guard at a kibbutz in southern Israel when he was taken hostage. Mr. Ziyadne and his two sons labored on a dairy farm in a close-by kibbutz, and Aisha was visiting her father and brothers at work after they have been all captured.
President Biden and his high aides have been working for a lot of months to barter the discharge of the remaining hostages and safe a cease-fire, and a deal appeared imminent a number of occasions, solely to collapse after what Biden administration officers stated have been rejected by Hamas negotiators. Israeli officers have additionally repeatedly objected to components of the proposed offers.
Family of the captives stated there was no time to attend, and plenty of demanded a right away ceasefire settlement. In a press release expressing grief over Youssef Ziyadne’s dying, the Hostage Households Discussion board, which represents family members of the captives, repeated a name for urgency it has made many occasions earlier than.
“Every day in captivity poses an imminent menace of dying to the hostages who’ve managed to outlive for 15 months and jeopardizes the opportunity of returning the deceased for burial,” the discussion board stated.
Jonathan Rice contributed reporting.
