Remains of two more hostages returned from Gaza identified: Israel

Israel’s army said Wednesday that the remains of two more hostages returned the day before from Gaza have been identified as those of Aryeh Zalmanovich and Master Sergeant Tamir Adar.

Zalmanovich, 85 at the time of his death, was abducted from his home in kibbutz Nir Oz and killed in captivity on November 17, 2023, the Israeli military said in a statement.

Adar, 38 when he died, was killed while fighting to defend Nir Oz on October 7, 2023, and his body was taken captive, it said.

Before turning their remains over to the Red Cross on Tuesday as part of a US-brokered Gaza ceasefire deal with Israel, Hamas militants had released 13 of the 28 hostage bodies pledged to be returned under the deal.

Under the terms of that agreement, the Palestinian militant group was supposed to have released all the hostages, living and dead, by October 13.

While 20 living hostages were released on time, Hamas said logistical difficulties, particularly in locating the bodies in a territory devastated by relentless Israeli bombardment in more than two years of war, prevented it from sticking to the schedule.