Israel announced on Thursday that the body of one of the last four hostages abducted during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack in Gaza has been returned by militants. The individual was identified as Meny Godard, who was taken from Kibbutz Be’eri in southern Israel, where his wife, Ayelet, was killed in the same incident.
Subsequently, Israel handed over the remains of 15 Palestinians to Gaza on Friday, as reported by officials at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. The armed factions of Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad confirmed that Godard’s body was found in southern Gaza.
Since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas commenced on Oct. 10, a total of 25 hostages’ remains have been repatriated to Israel. However, three hostages’ bodies are still pending retrieval from Gaza.
Godard, a former professional soccer player, had served in the Israeli military during the 1973 Mideast War before settling in Kibbutz Be’eri. He held various roles within the kibbutz, including working at the printing press.
As part of the ceasefire agreement, Israel has been releasing 15 Palestinian bodies in exchange for each hostage’s remains. The Gaza Health Ministry reported receiving 330 bodies of Palestinians, with only 95 having been formally identified.
The return of living hostages by Hamas to Israel on Oct. 13 marked a significant step under the ceasefire deal brokered by the U.S. The subsequent exchanges of deceased hostages constitute a crucial element of the initial phase of the agreement, mandating Hamas to promptly return all hostage remains. Despite mutual accusations of breaching terms, the exchanges have proceeded.
Israeli authorities have alleged that Hamas provided incomplete remains in some cases and orchestrated the discovery of bodies in others. Meanwhile, Hamas has criticized Israel for targeting civilians and impeding humanitarian aid access into Gaza.
Although the casualty rate has decreased post-ceasefire, Gaza officials have reported ongoing deaths from strikes, with Israel acknowledging losses from militant attacks. Health officials in Gaza cite a lack of DNA testing kits as a hindrance to identifying remains transferred by Israel.