Israel has confirmed the identification of another deceased hostage whose remains were returned from Gaza — the fourth such transfer this week — amid renewed international focus on both the plight of hostages and the worsening humanitarian conditions in the enclave.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on Saturday that the remains belonged to Command Sergeant Major Lior Rudaeff, 61, who was killed during the Hamas-led assault on Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak on October 7, 2023. Rudaeff served as the deputy security coordinator for his community’s rapid response team and was among those abducted during the attack. His remains were held in Gaza for more than a year before being transferred to Israel via the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
The return leaves the bodies of five deceased hostages still believed to be in Gaza, according to Israeli officials.
Fourth Remains Transfer in a Week
The transfer of hostages’ remains is part of the first phase of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire, which includes the exchange of captives and the return of the deceased to their families. However, Israeli intelligence officials have warned that Hamas may not be able to locate all remaining bodies due to ongoing conflict and tunnel collapses.
Earlier in the week, Israel received the remains of several other hostages, including Israeli-American soldiers Omer Neutra and Itay Chen, as well as Asaf Hamami, Oz Daniel, and Tanzanian agricultural student Joshua Loitu Mollel, who was abducted from Kibbutz Nahal Oz during the October 7 attacks.
At Neutra’s funeral on Friday, U.S. Central Command Chief Adm. Brad Cooper paid tribute to the 22-year-old dual citizen.
“Omer made the ultimate sacrifice we hope no soldier ever has to make, but many have made it nonetheless, in service to a higher cause,” Cooper said. “We express our deepest condolences for the loss of Omer.”
Calls for Return of All Hostages
Across Israel, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum continues to organize rallies demanding the return of all hostages — living and deceased.
At a gathering in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square on Saturday, Eitan Horn, recently freed after 738 days in captivity, said he could not begin to heal while others remained unreturned.
“We have no future without the return of all the hostages,” he told the crowd.
Meanwhile, Israeli officials told CNN they had received new intelligence on the location of the remains of Lt. Hadar Goldin, an Israeli soldier killed during the 2014 Gaza war. His body is believed to be in Rafah, near tunnels where roughly 200 Hamas fighters are thought to be hiding within Israeli-controlled territory.
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Gaza’s Humanitarian Crisis Deepens
As Israel works to recover its deceased citizens, Gaza continues to face a dire humanitarian situation, with the United Nations launching an emergency immunization campaign for children who missed routine vaccines amid the ongoing conflict.
The UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) announced on Friday that, in collaboration with UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO), it will deliver life-saving vaccines and malnutrition screening to 44,000 children across the enclave.
“UNRWA, together with UNICEF, WHO, and partners, is launching a catch-up immunization campaign to reach 44,000 children with life-saving vaccines,” the agency said.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, the Palestinian death toll since October 7, 2023, has surpassed 69,000 people. Although a ceasefire took effect in October, the ministry reported that 241 Palestinians have been killed since then, and 522 bodies have been recovered from under rubble.
Dire Conditions Despite Ceasefire
While humanitarian aid has resumed entering Gaza following the ceasefire, the scale of need remains enormous after months of limited access.
At least 460 people, including 154 children, have reportedly died of starvation since the war began, the ministry said.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that more than one million children in Gaza now require urgent mental health and psychosocial support.
OCHA added that hundreds of thousands of families face the risk of a harsh winter without adequate shelter. “The UN-coordinated entry of essential shelter materials and tents faces major limitations,” the agency said, noting that last winter several people, including children, died of hypothermia due to a lack of supplies.
A War With No Easy Resolution
The ongoing hostage recoveries and humanitarian operations highlight the complex realities of a war that has devastated both sides.
For Israel, the return of remains underscores the human toll of the October 7 Hamas attacks, which killed around 1,200 people, mostly civilians. For Gaza, the cumulative effects of bombardment, displacement, and shortages continue to threaten survival, with entire communities dependent on international aid.
As diplomatic efforts continue, both Israel and international mediators face the difficult task of balancing security concerns, humanitarian imperatives, and the moral urgency of recovering the living and the dead from one of the world’s most entrenched conflicts.
Source: CNN – Israel identifies deceased hostage from Gaza following fourth such transfer this week
