Israel’s military announced on Saturday that they had recovered the body of a man who was abducted from a community heavily affected during the Hamas-led attack on October 7th, almost six months after the abduction.
The man, Elad Katzir, aged 47, was reportedly killed by his captors in mid-January while being held in Gaza by Palestinian Islamic Jihad, according to Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the Israeli military spokesman. Hagari cited multiple intelligence sources but did not provide specifics. The claim that Katzir was killed by his captors could not be independently verified.
Katzir resided in Nir Oz, a kibbutz near the Gaza Strip border. More than a quarter of the 400 residents were either killed or abducted in the attack, including Katzir’s father, Avraham, who was killed, and mother, Hanna, who was also taken hostage, as per the Israeli military.
Hanna Katzir was released in November as part of a temporary ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, which saw over 100 hostages returned. The return of Ms. Katzir, aged 76, surprised some family members as Palestinian Islamic Jihad had previously claimed she was deceased.
Families of the 130+ hostages held in Gaza have expressed increasing frustration and hopelessness, accusing the Israeli government of not doing enough to secure their release. Carmit Katzir, Mr. Katzir’s sister, criticized the Israeli government for failing to reach an agreement in time to free her brother.
“He could have been saved if a deal had been made in time,” she posted on Facebook. “But our leaders are cowards, driven by political motives, and thus it didn’t happen.”
Israeli authorities state that about 100 hostages are still held by Palestinian militants in Gaza, with over 30 presumed dead.
The Israeli military reported that Katzir’s body was found by troops in Khan Younis, a city in southern Gaza where they had been operating since December. Israeli forces arrived in southern Khan Younis on Friday night, isolated the area, and retrieved his body from an underground burial site, according to military officials.
Forensic pathologists in Israel confirmed his identity, and his family was informed. Mr. Hagari, the Israeli military spokesperson, expressed condolences to Katzir’s sister, acknowledging the urgency of the hostage situation.
Islamic Jihad had released videos of Katzir, a farmer from Nir Oz. He was last seen in a video from early January, where he mentioned being held captive for over 90 days and hearing about the death of a friend from Nir Oz on the radio.
Poland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that Katzir was also a Polish citizen and extended condolences to his family and friends. “May he rest in peace,” the post read.
In recent weeks, Israel and Hamas have resumed talks for a possible ceasefire and the release of some hostages. Hamas announced that a delegation would travel to Cairo for further negotiations.
President Biden urged Egypt and Qatar to pressure Hamas for a deal and encouraged Israel’s prime minister to do the same. Israeli leaders believe that continued pressure on Hamas will lead to negotiations. Families of the hostages demand immediate action to prevent further harm.
“Your story shouldn’t have ended this way,” Ms. Katzir wrote on Facebook. “I’m sorry we couldn’t save you. I love you forever.”
Ephrat Livni contributed to this report.
