The Israel Defense Forces recovered the corpse of Israeli hostage Youssef Ziyadne from an underground tunnel in the southern Gazan city of Rafah and have returned it to Israel, the military said Wednesday.
Ziyadne, a 53-year-old father of 19, was killed after Hamas terrorists abducted him and three of his children on Oct. 7, 2023. The IDF also said it located findings related to Ziyadne's son Hamza that raise "serious concerns for his life."
Two of Ziyadne's other children, Bilal and Aisha, were released on Nov. 30, 2023, after spending more than 50 days in Hamas captivity, the Times of Israel reported.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed "deep sorrow" at the news, adding, "We will continue to make every effort to bring all of our hostages home—both the living and the dead."
President-elect Donald Trump reiterated on Tuesday that "all hell will break out" if the hostages held in Gaza have not been freed by the time he takes office on January 20. Around 100 hostages remain in Gaza, with one-third said to be dead, according to Associated Press.