The Israel Defense Forces announced the recovery of hostage Yosef AlZayadni's remains from an underground tunnel in Rafah Tuesday, facilitating the return of his body to Israel. The statement confirmed that Yosef, who was taken hostage on Oct. 7, 2023, died while in captivity. During the same recovery operation, security forces discovered evidence connected to his son, Hamza AlZayadni, who was also abducted on Oct. 7, leading to serious concerns about his survival.
The military statement indicated the evidence was located in the southern Gaza Strip. Following the recovery, Yosef's remains were transported by helicopter to the forensic institute for detailed examination. The AlZayadni family reported receiving notification from the IDF claiming the recovery of both Yosef and Hamza's bodies.
Yosef and Hamza were captured alongside two other members of the AlZayadni family – Bilal and Aisha, Yosef's children – during the Oct. 7 attacks. Bilal and Aisha were later freed during the seventh phase of the only hostage exchange agreement implemented to date. Following this recovery operation, the current count of hostages still held in Gaza stands at 98.
