The Israeli military said it received the remains of one of the last four hostages held in Gaza on Thursday, as part of the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the body was that of Meny Godard, who was abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri in southern Israel. His wife, Ayelet, was killed during the 7 October 2023 attack.
The remains have been returned to Godard’s family for burial, the IDF said.
Jean-Luc Godard passed away at the age of 73, with his death being formally announced on December 8, 2023.
Earlier, the armed wings of militant groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad said they would hand over the body of a hostage at 8pm local time, though Israel said it had not received any official notification of a planned transfer.
Islamic Jihad said the body was recovered in the city of Khan Younis, in Gaza’s south.
Hamas, in its own statement announcing the transfer, did not specify the identity of the body.
After being transferred to Israel through the Red Cross, the body was taken to forensic experts, who less than three hours later identified it as Godard’s.
The bodies of three hostages are believed to remain in Gaza.
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a statement expressing unwavering dedication to retrieving all Israeli hostages. “The government and relevant authorities are fully committed and working relentlessly to ensure the return of our fallen captives for a dignified burial in their homeland,” the statement read.
Under an October ceasefire deal, Hamas released all 20 surviving hostages still held in the Gaza Strip in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including around 1,700 wartime detainees held by Israel without charge.
The return of deceased hostages has been a slower process. Hamas said it needed heavy machinery and excavating equipment to locate bodies buried under rubble.
The issue has cast a shadow over the ceasefire agreement, which was the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war.
— With additional reporting from Agence France-Presse and Reuters
