IDF, Shin Bet recover two hostage bodies from Gaza
Security forces brought back the remains of Ilan Weiss of Kibbutz Be'eri and another person whose name has not been cleared for publication.
Israeli soldiers in Gaza
Israeli forces have retrieved the bodies of two hostages, that of Ilan Weiss and another, unnamed, individual, that Hamas terrorists had kept in the Gaza Strip, the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem said on Friday.
Weiss, 56, was murdered on Oct. 7, 2023, while defending Kibbutz Be’eri, and his corpse was taken to Gaza, according to the statement. His daughter and wife, Noga and Shiri, were also abducted. They were released in November 2023 as part of a hostage deal.
The name of the other Israeli whose body has been retrieved in the joint IDF and Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet) operation has not yet been cleared for publication.
With the retrieval of the two bodies, Hamas is believed to be holding 20 living hostages and another 28 bodies.
Defense Minister Israel Katz on X noted that Weiss was the deputy head of Be’eri’s emergency response team, “who, alongside other heroes, heroically managed the containment battle in the kibbutz and prevented a greater disaster.”
Katz expressed “profound appreciation to our heroic fighters who risk their lives day and night to return all the hostages—the living and the fallen alike.”
The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said in a statement that the operation was “made possible due to precise intelligence from the Hostages and Missing Headquarters, the Intelligence Directorate” and the Shin Bet.
“Along with all the citizens of Israel, my wife and I extend our heartfelt condolences to the dear families and share in their heavy grief,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. “I thank our commanders and fighters for a successful operation, for their determination and courage. The campaign to return the hostages continues unabated, we will not rest or stand still until we return all our hostages home — the living and the dead alike.”
JNS
Hostage survivor tells UN Security Council of rape, starvation in Hamas captivity
JNS (Jewish News Syndicate)
Israeli President Isaac Herzog wrote on X that, “Ilan showed courage and noble spirit when he fought the terrorists on that dark day. In his death, he gave life. And ever since, his family has shown extraordinary strength in their struggle for his return.”
Herzog added: “The horrors committed by Hamas, murder, torture, abduction, are crimes against humanity. The world must show moral clarity, apply pressure, and act for the immediate release of all the hostages.”
US, Israel applaud France, Germany, UK decision to reimpose sanctions on Iran
The trio, which is referred to as the E3, had said in August that it would reimpose sanctions if the Islamic Republic didn’t reach a nuclear deal by the end of the month.
Marco Rubio, the U.S. secretary of state, stated that Washington welcomed the decision.
The three countries “have laid out a clear case of Iran’s continuing ‘significant non-performance’ of its nuclear commitments, establishing a strong basis for initiating snapback,” stated Rubio, who is also the U.S. national security advisor. “Moreover, the E3 could have initiated snapback at any point since 2019 but chose instead to first pursue intensive outreach and engagement, to provide Iran with a diplomatic off-ramp from its strategy of nuclear escalation.”
Danny Danon, the Israeli ambassador to the United Nations, stated that “Iran continues to ignore the international community and violate its commitments time and time again.”
“Israel has already demonstrated its concerns about the malicious intentions of the ayatollahs’ regime,” he said. “Now the countries of the world are also joining the fight against the axis of evil. This is an important step on the way to stopping the Iranian nuclear program and increasing pressure on the regime in Tehran.”
© JNS
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