Israel confirms body returned by Hamas is Israeli-American soldier

The body of Israeli-American soldier Itay Chen, identified as a hostage returned by Hamas, was confirmed by Israel after being recovered in Gaza. Chen, 19, was reported missing during the October 7, 2023 attacks and was later determined to have died in combat, with his remains taken to Gaza. The return of Chen’s body was part of a ceasefire agreement brokered by the U.S. that also involved the release of living and deceased hostages. Israel has accused Hamas of delaying the recovery of remains, while Hamas claims locating bodies under rubble is challenging.

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