Hamas announced Tuesday that it has located the remains of an Israeli hostage during searches in the Israeli‑held territory beyond the Gaza ceasefire line.
In a statement, the terrorist group said that the body was found beyond the so-called “yellow line” in the Shijaiyah neighborhood of Gaza City and arrangements are under way for the transfer of the remains to Israel.
Hamas, which earlier this week returned the bodies of three Israeli soldiers ― Asaf Hamami, Omer Neutra and Oz Daniel ― said it is still struggling to locate the eight remaining soldiers believed to have been killed. The group credited the deployment of engineering equipment and coordination with International Committee of the Red Cross‑escorted Hamas teams for accelerating the recovery effort.
Hamas’ announcement follows an October 10 ceasefire deal under which Israeli forces withdrew behind the so‑called “yellow line,” a zone traversing central Gaza. Israeli officials have previously said some hostages’ remains may lie in that area.
Families of some of the eight missing issued a joint appeal following a meeting Monday with government hostage czar Gal Hirsch. “We’ve been pleading for a meeting with the prime minister for three weeks. We want to look him in the eye,” said Ayelet Goldin, mother of Lt. Hadar Goldin, whose body has been held in Gaza since 2014. “We want him to tell us he believes it is his duty to bring every missing person home — we want to tell the people of Israel: This is possible.”
The last eight remaining hostages
Staff Sgt. Itay Chen, 20, of Netanya, who was serving in the 7th Armored Brigade's 77th Battalion near Nahal Oz. He and his tank crew were declared missing in action for 158 days before it was confirmed they had been kidnapped. One crew member, Matan Angrest, returned alive; another, Capt. Daniel Perez, was killed and his body later returned. The fourth, Tomer Leibovitz, was killed in battle. Chen held both U.S. citizenship through his father, Ruby, and German citizenship through his mother, Hagit. He was the middle of three brothers.
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The last eight remaining hostages
(Photo: Israel Police, courtesy of the families, Blue Ribbons)
Lt. Hadar Goldin, 23, of Kfar Saba, a Givati reconnaissance officer, was killed in Rafah during a ceasefire in August 2014, during Operation Protective Edge. His body was seized by Hamas and has been held for more than 11 years. His family has long campaigned for his return, insisting Gaza should not be rebuilt before all hostages are brought home.
Dror Or was murdered on Oct. 7 and taken into Gaza. Initially listed as a hostage, his family was informed 208 days later that he had been killed. Or, a father of three — Yahli, Noam and Alma — was the partner of Yonat Or, who was also killed that morning. Two of their children were kidnapped and freed in the November 2023 hostage deal.
Sgt. 1st Class Ran Gvili, 24, from Meitar, a police commando in the southern district’s Yasam unit, died fighting at Kibbutz Alumim. Despite a broken shoulder from a prior motorcycle accident, he joined the battle and reportedly helped rescue dozens from the Nova music festival before being killed. His body was taken to Gaza. Gvili, a member of the police motorcycle unit, left behind his parents, Itzik and Talik, and two siblings, Omri and Shira.
Meny Godard, 73, from Kibbutz Be’eri, was murdered and abducted on Oct. 7. His death was confirmed only in February 2024. His wife, Ayelet, was also killed in their home. Their daughter, Mor Hasharoni, said her parents hosted musical evenings at the kibbutz and that Meny, once a star striker for Hapoel Be’eri, later coached youth teams.
Joshua Luito Mollel, 22, a Tanzanian national, was reported missing for two months before it was confirmed that he was kidnapped to Gaza and killed there. He had come to Israel just three weeks before the Hamas attack to study agriculture under an international aid program and lived in Nahal Oz. Another Tanzanian, Clemence Felix Mtenga, was also killed. Mollel’s father called on the international community to help return his son’s body.
Lior Rudaeff, 61, was kidnapped from his home in Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak on Oct. 7. In May 2024, his family was informed that he had been murdered and his body taken to Gaza. Married to Yaffa for 38 years, Rudaeff was a father of four and grandfather of three. A longtime ambulance volunteer in the Eshkol region, he was remembered as “a man of generosity and a huge heart,” and a devoted cyclist with deep Argentine roots.
Sudthisak Rinthalak, 43, a Thai agricultural worker, was murdered and abducted from the fields of Kibbutz Be’eri on Oct. 7. He had worked in Israel since 2017 to support his family back home.