The Israeli army confirmed the deaths of five hostages held in Gaza on Friday, saying their families had been notified, and the body of one of them had been delivered to Israel.
Daniel Hagari, a spokesman for the army, stated, “In recent days, the IDF and Israel police notified the families of the hostages Eliyahu Margalit, Maya Goren, Ronen Engel, and Arye Zalmanovitz about their deaths”.
He also stated that troops had brought back the body of a fifth victim, whom he identified as Ofir Tsarfati.
According to Hagari, Gaza operatives are still holding 136 hostages, including 17 women and children.
Tsarfati’s body was located in recent days in Gaza by troops and members of the Shin Bet internal security service, according to a separate statement from the army, and transferred to Israel for burial.
As per the report, the family was told of his death on Wednesday.
Tsarfati was abducted from a rave party near the Gaza Strip on October 7, when Hamas militants poured across the border, killing 1,200 people, and kidnapping approximately 240 more in the bloodiest attacks in Israel’s 75-year history.
Israel has responded with a huge military operation, which Gaza’s Hamas-run government claims has killed over 15,000 people.
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