IDF recovers physique of slain hostage Ilan Weiss, stays of one other captive, from Gaza

[ad_1] Forces from the navy and Shin Wager safety service recovered the physique of slain hostage Ilan Weiss in an operation within the Gaza Strip, the Israel Protection Forces mentioned Friday.

His physique was recovered together with the stays of a second hostage, whose identify was not instantly revealed because the identification course of was nonetheless ongoing on the Abu Kabir Nationwide Institute of Forensic Medication.

Weiss, 56, was killed on the morning of October 7, 2023, whereas defending Kibbutz Be’eri from Hamas-led terrorists as a member of the emergency response workforce.

His wife Shiri and daughter Noga have been additionally taken hostage and later freed throughout a weeklong truce and hostage launch deal in November 2023. Noga was drafted into the IDF in Might 2024.

The IDF mentioned the complicated restoration mission in Gaza was carried out by Southern Command forces with intelligence supplied by the Navy Intelligence Directorate, the Shin Wager, and the Hostages and Lacking Households Discussion board.

Get The Instances of Israel's Day by day Version by e mail and by no means miss our prime tales

By signing up, you comply with the terms “That is an ongoing, principled effort that we are going to proceed to pursue,” IDF Chief of Workers Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir mentioned Friday relating to the navy’s efforts to return the captives. “We won't relaxation or stay silent till all our hostages are returned by any means doable.”

The discussion board mourned Weiss as “a loving and devoted household man, [who] excelled at cooking and cherished to barbecue.” The group added in its assertion: “The hostages are operating out of time. We should return all of them dwelling, now!”

Noga (left), Shiri (center) and Ilan Weiss have been all lacking following the October 7 assault by Hamas terrorists on Kibbutz Be’eri. Noga and Shiri have been taken hostage by Hamas, and launched on November 25, 2023. (Courtesy)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu despatched his condolences to the households of Weiss and the opposite recovered hostage, whereas praising safety forces for his or her “willpower and braveness.”

He reiterated that Israel “won't relaxation till all hostages are returned — the dwelling and the useless.”

Based on official figures, 48 hostages now stay in captivity within the Gaza Strip, of whom 20 are believed to be alive, and about two of whom the federal government has expressed “grave concern.” The remaining hostages have been confirmed useless by the navy.

Noga Weiss, 18, proper, and her mom Shiri Weiss, 53, second from proper, are acquired by IDF troopers after being free of captivity in Gaza, November 25, 2023. (Israel Protection Forces)

Protection Minister Israel Katz, in a press release, famous that Weiss “bravely managed the defensive battle in Be’eri and prevented a good larger catastrophe, alongside different heroes.”

Katz additionally hailed the “heroic” work of IDF and Shin Wager forces within the mission, including, “We won't relaxation and we won't cease till everybody returns dwelling.”

A lady appears to be like at a battle-scarred dwelling in Kibbutz Be’eri as Israel marks the primary anniversary of the Hamas assault on Israel on October 7, 2024. (AP Picture/Ohad Zwigenberg)

President Isaac Herzog despatched his “heartfelt condolences and help” to Weiss’s household, saying in a press release: “692 days after he was brutally kidnapped along with his spouse Shiri and their daughter Noga, Ilan’s physique was recovered in a joint IDF and Shin Wager operation. A second of deep sorrow, but additionally of closure.”

“Ilan confirmed braveness and noble spirit when he fought the terrorists on that darkish day. In his demise, he gave life. And ever since, his household has proven extraordinary energy of their battle for his return,” he mentioned.

Former hostage Noga Weiss (heart) together with her mom Shiri (left), on the Tel Hashomer base in central Israel, Might 6, 2024, as Noga is drafted into the IDF. (Israel Protection Forces)

The president known as for the world to “present ethical readability, apply strain and act for the rapid launch of all of the hostages.”

“We won't relaxation till each one in all them is introduced dwelling, the dwelling to the loving embrace of their households, and the fallen to be laid to relaxation in dignity. Each final one,” he mentioned.

I provide my heartfelt condolences and help to the Weiss household and the neighborhood of Kibbutz Be’eri upon the restoration of the physique of hostage Ilan Weiss, of blessed reminiscence.

692 days after he was brutally kidnapped along with his spouse Shiri and their daughter Noga, Ilan’s physique was… pic.twitter.com/PK4uKm3hdB

— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) August 29, 2025

Opposition Chief Yair Lapid hailed the “heroic operation,” writing on X that he “embraces [Weiss’s] household on this tough time.”

“Might his return for a becoming burial in Israel be some consolation,” Lapid wished, including: “We should return all of them dwelling.”

Noga Weiss holds a placard displaying her hostage father Ilan Weiss at an indication urging the discharge of the hostages held by Hamas. (File: Paulina Patimer / Hostages Households Discussion board)

Anti-government protests to fold into primary hostage demo Additionally Friday, it was introduced {that a} weekly anti-government protest held in Tel Aviv on Saturday nights would fold into the central demonstration held by the Hostages and Lacking Households Discussion board, to keep away from a break up within the motion.

“Go to junctions close to your houses, to Hostages Sq., and to each protest location the place they’re preventing for my Matan and the opposite 49 hostages,” wrote Einav Zangauker, whose son is held hostage in Gaza.

“I wish to thank the wonderful public who've joined us and supported me and the opposite households. Solely the nation will return the hostages.”

Zangauker had led the protests on Start Highway, which — in contrast to the demonstrations at close by Hostages Sq. — have been explicitly anti-government and arranged partly by anti-government protest teams.

Einav Zangauker, whose son Matan is held hostage in Gaza, speaks to protesters on Start Highway, Tel Aviv, August 16, 2025. (Vardit Alon-Korpel/Professional-Democracy Protest Motion)

The extra political of the Saturday evening demonstrations was began in November 2023 by Hadas Calderon, whose sons Sahar and Erez and ex-husband Ofer had been kidnapped by Palestinian terrorists in the course of the October 7 assault. All three have been later freed throughout hostage-ceasefire offers.

The Hostages and Lacking Households Discussion board introduced that the protest this week at Hostages Sq. will mark a year since the murder of six hostages in a tunnel in Rafah.

“The development of the plan to beat Gaza Metropolis, whereas a deal for the return of the hostages is on the negotiating desk and isn't mentioned by the safety cupboard, is a bloody reminder of the occasions of the final yr — navy strain kills hostages,” the discussion board mentioned in a press release.

“Sufficient of this persevering with nightmare. Forty-two of our brothers and sisters have been kidnapped alive and murdered in captivity — we should not attain 43.”

Protests have swelled in current weeks after the federal government accepted plans to take over Gaza City within the northern Strip.

The operation, anticipated to final months, has sparked fears for the destiny of the remaining hostages, in addition to the troopers tasked with finishing up the maneuver. In the meantime, the cupboard has refrained from discussing the hostage-ceasefire deal that Hamas mentioned earlier this month it had agreed to.

!function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) {if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function(){n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments)}; if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)}(window, document,'script', 'https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/fbevents.js'); fbq('init', '272776440645465'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); [ad_2] Source link