JERUSALEM: The Israeli military has confirmed the identities of two more hostages whose remains were returned from Gaza on Tuesday.
Aryeh Zalmanovich was 85 years old when he was abducted from his home in kibbutz Nir Oz and killed in captivity on November 17, 2023.
Master Sergeant Tamir Adar was 38 when he died while fighting to defend Nir Oz on October 7, 2023, and his body was subsequently taken captive.
Hamas militants released 13 of the 28 hostage bodies pledged under the US-brokered Gaza ceasefire deal before transferring the remains to the Red Cross.
The Palestinian militant group was supposed to have released all hostages, both living and dead, by October 13 under the agreement’s terms.
Hamas cited logistical difficulties in locating bodies within the war-devastated territory as the reason for not meeting the scheduled deadline.
Twenty living hostages were released on time despite the challenges in recovering the deceased. – AFP
