JERUSALEM – On Saturday, Israeli officials confirmed that the remains of a hostage returned from Gaza belonged to an Israeli national who perished during the October 7, 2023, conflict initiated by Hamas. This tragic event marked the beginning of the ongoing war.

This identification represents a significant development in the fragile ceasefire mediated by the United States. The remains have been identified as those of Lior Rudaeff, as announced by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum shared that Rudaeff was originally from Argentina and relocated to Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak, a farming community in southern Israel, during his childhood. Known for his dedication, Rudaeff volunteered for over four decades as an ambulance driver and was an active member of the community’s emergency response team.

The forum reported that Rudaeff was among those killed in the Hamas assault, and his body was subsequently taken to Gaza.

Since the ceasefire’s commencement on October 10, Palestinian militants have released the remains of 23 hostages, including Rudaeff, although five hostages remain in Gaza.

In accordance with the ceasefire agreement, Israel has reciprocated by returning the remains of 15 Palestinians for each Israeli hostage’s remains received.

So far, Israel has handed over the bodies of 285 Palestinians, the Red Cross and Gaza’s Health Ministry say. Health officials in Gaza have struggled to identify the bodies without access to DNA kits and have identified 84 of the bodies.

Under the terms of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire, Israel is supposed to allow substantially more aid into Gaza.

However, relief efforts under the pact still fall well short of what is needed in Gaza, according to Farhan Haqq, deputy spokesperson for the United Nations. More than 200,000 metric tons in aid is positioned to move into Gaza, but only 37,000 tons, mostly food, have been admitted, he said.

The 2023 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage. Israel’s sweeping military offensive has killed more than 68,800 Palestinians in Gaza, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry, part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals, maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by independent experts.