Israel says stays of hostage handed over by Hamas in Gaza are that of Staff Sergeant Itay Chen | EUROtoday

Israel has recognized the physique of a hostage that Hamas handed over on Tuesday in Gaza as that of Israeli-American Staff Sergeant Itay Chen, based on reviews.

The 19-year-old was serving as a soldier when Hamas carried out the shock rampage in October 2023 via southern Israeli cities and army bases.

Israel obtained the physique from Hamas through the Red Cross in Gaza, the Prime Minister’s Office mentioned, after the Palestinian group reported it had discovered the stays of one other hostage to be handed over.

The workplace confirmed the physique was that of Staff Sergeant Chen following an identification course of. Hamas mentioned it had discovered the physique in Shejaia, an japanese suburb of Gaza City in an space nonetheless occupied by Israeli forces, after Israel granted entry to the placement for groups from Hamas and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Including Chen, Hamas has returned 21 of the 28 our bodies of hostages that have been buried in Gaza. In return, Israel handed over 270 our bodies of Palestinians it had killed for the reason that conflict started in October 2023, Gaza well being authorities mentioned.

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The ceasefire is aimed toward winding down the deadliest and most harmful conflict ever fought between Israel and the Palestinian militant group.

The army wing of Hamas mentioned earlier it had recovered the physique of an Israeli soldier in Gaza and supposed at hand over the stays. At that point Israel’s assertion didn’t point out whether or not the stays have been of a soldier, based on Associated Press.

Militants in Gaza have launched one to a few our bodies each few days. Israel has pushed to hurry up the returns and in sure circumstances has mentioned the stays weren’t these of hostages. Hamas has mentioned the work is sophisticated by widespread devastation.

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For every Israeli hostage returned, Israel has been releasing the stays of 15 Palestinians. So far the our bodies of 270 Palestinians have been handed over below the present ceasefire. Fewer than half have been recognized. Forensic work is sophisticated by an absence of DNA testing kits in Gaza. The Health Ministry there posts photographs of the stays on-line, within the hope that households will recognise them.

The conflict was triggered by the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on 7 Oct 2023, that killed about 1,200 individuals and noticed 251 taken hostage.

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Israel responded with a sweeping army offensive that has killed greater than 68,800 Palestinians in Gaza, based on Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between combatants and civilians. The ministry, a part of the Hamas-run authorities and staffed by medical professionals, maintains detailed information considered as usually dependable by impartial specialists.

Israel, which has denied accusations by a UN fee of inquiry and others of committing genocide in Gaza, has disputed the ministry’s figures with out offering a contradicting toll.