Israel’s military says special forces have found the body of a soldier killed in the 2014 Gaza war, who has since been held hostage by Hamas.
The remains of Sergeant Oron Shaul were found during a “secret, special operation” by the Israeli army and the Shin Bet security service in Gaza, the statement said.
His family has been notified following an identification process conducted by the National Institute of Forensic Medicine and the Military Rabbinate, it added.
Hamas was expected to hand over Shaul’s remains as part of a new deal on a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release, which was due to be implemented on Sunday morning but was delayed.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said Shaul “fell in combat” in the eastern Shejaiya neighborhood of Gaza City on July 20, 2014, and was “kidnapped by the Hamas terrorist organization.”
“It was a significant intelligence and operational undertaking that lasted for the past decade since his fall and abduction, and especially during the war and the past few days,” he said at the briefing.
The operation to bring Shaul’s body home for burial was carried out by special units from the IDF’s Military Intelligence Directorate, the Shayetet 13 naval commando unit and Shin Bet operatives, he said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the special forces involved “for their resourcefulness and courage.”
He said the photos of Shaul and Goldin “were in front of me in my office for many years as a daily testimony of my commitment to bring them home.”
“We have completed the mission of bringing back Oron and we will not stop until we have also completed the mission of bringing back Hadar Goldin,” he added.
“We will continue to act to return all our hostages, living and deceased.”
Netanyahu issued a statement shortly after he said the start of the ceasefire in Gaza will be delayed until Hamas confirms the names of the first hostages it plans to release in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas blamed technical problems for the failure to hand over the list and said it was still committed to the deal.
Israel launched a campaign to destroy Hamas in response to an attack on October 7, 2023, in which approximately 1,200 people were killed and 251 people were taken hostage.
Since then, nearly 46,900 people have been killed in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry there. Most of the 2.3 million population has been displaced, destruction is widespread and there are severe shortages of food, fuel, medicine and shelter as the struggle to help those in need.
Israel says Hamas is still holding 94 hostages, 34 of whom are presumed dead.
In the first phase of the six-week ceasefire agreement, 33 hostages – including women, children and the elderly – are to be exchanged for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.
Israeli forces will also withdraw to the east, away from densely populated Gaza, while displaced Palestinians will be allowed to begin returning to their homes and hundreds of aid trucks will be released into the territory each day.
Negotiations for the second phase – which should allow for the release of the remaining hostages, the full withdrawal of Israeli troops and a return to “sustainable peace” – will begin on the 16th day of the ceasefire.
The third and final phase will involve the rebuilding of Gaza – something that could take years – and the return of any remaining bodies of the hostages.
