Israel announced the recovery of the body of Elad Katzir, an Israeli farmer killed while being held captive in Gaza by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, Reuters reports.
Katzir, 47, was among the 253 people abducted by Hamas during a cross-border incursion in October, which resulted in the death of over 1,200 people in southern Israel. He was killed by his captors and buried in southern Khan Younis in mid-January, his body was recovered by Israeli special forces after intelligence information pinpointed its location.
The recovery of his body comes amid ongoing efforts by Qatari and Egyptian mediators to secure a deal to release the remaining hostages in Gaza. Israeli sources indicate that at least 35 hostages have died in Gaza captivity, some possibly killed in Israeli strikes, while others showed signs of execution.
