The physique of a 75-year-old hostage handed over by Hamas to the Pink Cross in Gaza late on Friday has been recognized by Israel’s army as Eliyahu “Churchill” Margalit.
The Israel Protection Forces (IDF) mentioned Margalit was killed at Nir Oz kibbutz on 7 October 2023 throughout Hamas’s assault on southern Israel and his physique taken into the Gaza Strip. His dying was confirmed in December 2023. His daughter, Nili Margalit, was additionally kidnapped and returned as a part of a deal in November 2023.
The IDF mentioned in a put up on X that it had knowledgeable Margalit’s household after his stays have been despatched to the Ministry of Well being’s Nationwide Middle for Forensic Drugs in Israel.
The workplace of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu mentioned in an announcement that it will “spare no effort till we return the entire fallen abductees, right down to the final one”.
Eliyahu Margalit. {Photograph}: Courtesy of Deliver Them Dwelling Now/Reuters
Margalit, a grandfather of three who was kidnapped whereas tending to his horses, is the tenth deceased hostage Israel has obtained out of 28 our bodies held in Gaza.
Below the ceasefire deal, Hamas was obliged to make greatest efforts in returning all of the deceased hostages they held. The households of useless hostages nonetheless in Gaza have accused the federal government of betraying them by signing the deal on such phrases. A protest might be held on Saturday night time at “hostages sq.” in Tel Aviv.
Ruby Chen, the daddy of the Israeli-American hostage Itay Chen, who was 19 when he was killed by Hamas in his tank and brought to Gaza on 7 October, mentioned it was essential that individuals turned out for the demonstration.
He mentioned: “It’s human to wish to transfer on and have a clear slate, to return and being joyful or dwelling a traditional life – and [the families of the hostages] at the moment are in battle with that.
“However we had a deal for 48 hostages. We now have 29. don’t see that because the narrative that we wish to hold and say 29 of the 48 got here out.”
Hamas, citing technical issues, has mentioned it wanted heavy equipment and excavating gear to hurry up the method of finding our bodies buried beneath rubble.
On Friday, two bulldozers ploughed up the earth as Hamas looked for hostages’ stays in Hamad metropolis, a fancy of residence towers within the metropolis of Khan Younis.
Israeli forces repeatedly bombarded the towers in the course of the struggle, toppling some, and troops performed a week-long raid there in March 2024.
Turkey despatched a group of specialists to assist retrieve stays buried beneath the rubble, however the group was nonetheless ready on Friday for Israeli permission to enter the territory.
“It stays unclear when Israel will enable the Turkish group to enter Gaza,” a Turkish official instructed AFP, noting that the group’s mission included finding Palestinian and hostage stays. A Hamas supply instructed AFP the Turkish delegation was anticipated to enter by Sunday.
Israel, insisting Hamas is aware of the whereabouts of the hostages’ our bodies, has mentioned the group was operating out of time. Hamas has mentioned it stays dedicated to the ceasefire settlement and to handing over the our bodies of all remaining hostages.
Israel has returned to Gaza the our bodies of 90 Palestinians for burial. Israel is predicted to return extra our bodies, though officers haven’t mentioned what number of are in its custody or what number of might be returned.
The dispute over hostage stays has solid a shadow over the ceasefire settlement – the primary part of US president Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to finish the struggle.
At a information convention in Ankara, Turkish overseas minister Hakan Fidan mentioned Israel’s statements concerning the hostage our bodies have been worrying. “Will Israel use Hamas’ incapability to find our bodies left beneath rubble … as an excuse and break the ceasefire? There’s concern within the worldwide group over this,” he mentioned.
Earlier on Friday, Hamas known as on mediators to push for the subsequent steps beneath the ceasefire, together with reopening the border, letting in help, starting reconstruction, establishing an administration and finishing Israel’s withdrawal.
Combating has largely stopped in Gaza beneath Trump’s plan, endorsed by mediators Egypt, Qatar and Turkey. Nonetheless, Gaza’s Civil Defence Service mentioned on Friday that 11 folks have been killed when Israeli troops opened fireplace on a car south east of Gaza Metropolis, together with seven kids and three girls.
The Israeli army didn’t touch upon the incident, and Hamas once more accused Israel of violating on the ceasefire.
The 20 dwelling hostages who have been taken by Hamas together with others throughout its assault on Israel on 7 October 2023 have been returned from Gaza earlier this week.
Israel mentioned on Thursday it was getting ready for the reopening of Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt to permit Palestinians to maneuver out and in, however gave no date because it traded blame with Hamas over violations of the ceasefire.
Different unresolved components of the plan embody the disarmament of militants and Gaza’s future governance.
With Reuters, Related Press and Agence France-Presse
