Gaza: The Israeli military has confirmed the identification of a body handed over from Gaza as that of Lior Rudaeff, an Israeli-Argentinian national. Rudaeff, aged 61, was reportedly killed while defending the Nir Yitzhak kibbutz during a Hamas attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023. His body was subsequently taken to Gaza by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) armed group.
According to BBC, PIJ reported that the body was discovered on Friday in Khan Younis, located in southern Gaza. This event comes as part of the aftermath of a ceasefire agreement initiated on 10 October, in which Hamas has returned all 20 living hostages and 23 out of 28 deceased hostages. Israel has expressed dissatisfaction with Hamas for not yet returning all the bodies, with Hamas citing difficulties in locating them under the rubble.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a campaign group, has expressed relief at the return of Rudaeff’s body, stating that it offers some consolation to the grieving family. The group emphasized their ongoing commitment to securing the return of all hostages.
As part of the US-brokered ceasefire deal, Israel released 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,718 detainees from Gaza. In exchange for the return of 20 Israeli hostages, including three foreign nationals, Israel also handed over the bodies of 300 Palestinians. The agreement also included provisions for increased aid to the Gaza Strip, a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces, and a cessation of hostilities, although violations have been reported by both parties.
Recent developments have seen Israel launching air strikes following accusations against Hamas fighters for the deaths of three Israeli soldiers in separate incidents. Meanwhile, the Hamas-run health ministry reports that Israeli military actions have resulted in at least 241 fatalities since the ceasefire began. The conflict traces back to the 7 October 2023 attack, where Hamas-led gunmen killed approximately 1,200 individuals in southern Israel and took 251 people hostage.
The ongoing violence has led to a staggering loss of life, with the health ministry in Gaza reporting at least 69,169 fatalities due to Israeli attacks since the initial assault.