JERUSALEM – On Wednesday, the Israeli military announced that the remains of Youssef Ziyadne, an Israeli Bedouin taken hostage by Hamas militants on October 7, 2023, were discovered in a tunnel in Gaza. Additionally, there is evidence indicating that his son may have also perished.

The circumstances surrounding Ziyadne’s death are not yet clear; however, Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani stated that it does not appear to be a recent occurrence.

“We are presently looking into the details of his death and the implications related to his son,” he mentioned during a press briefing.

“These discoveries raise alarms regarding his son’s condition, and investigations are ongoing,” he added, without disclosing specific information.

Earlier, Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed in a statement that both bodies had been located.

Shoshani noted that a special forces team carried out a “challenging and complicated operation” in a tunnel located near the southern Gaza city of Rafah on Tuesday, where Ziyadne’s body was found in proximity to the remains of Hamas militants or members of other Palestinian factions.

Two other children of Ziyadne, who were also kidnapped during the same incident, were released in a swap for Palestinian prisoners in November 2023.

The recovery of Ziyadne’s body coincided with ongoing negotiations in Doha aimed at ceasing hostilities in Gaza and facilitating the return of remaining hostages as part of a proposal that would involve the exchange of several Palestinian detainees held by Israel.

Israel commenced its military action in Gaza following a Hamas attack that occurred 15 months ago, resulting in the deaths of around 1,200 individuals and over 250 hostages being taken, according to Israeli sources.

As reported by health officials in the enclave, more than 46,000 Palestinians have died as a result of Israel’s military operations against Hamas.