The Israeli army on Friday confirmed the deaths of seven hostages held in Gaza, saying their families had been informed, and the body of one of them returned to Israel.
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"In recent days, the IDF (military) and Israel police notified the families of the hostages Eliyahu Margalit, Maya Goren, Ronen Engel and Arye Zalmanovitz about their deaths," army spokesman Daniel Hagari said. Shortly after his statement to the press authorities also confirmed the deaths of Ofra Keidar and Guy Iluz.
Hagari also said troops had brought back the body of an additional person whom he identified as Ofir Tsarfati.
Separately the army said Tsarfati's body had been "located in recent days" in Gaza by troops and the Shin Bet internal security service and brought to Israel for burial, with the family informed of his death on Wednesday.
Engel's wife and two daughters were freed earlier this week as part of the hostage deal.
Goren's husband was murdered in the October 7 massacre, the worst antisemitic atrocity since the Holocaust.
