Israeli military confirms identity of Israeli hostages

10/1/2025 17:06

Israel confirmed that a hostage found killed in Gaza was Hamza Ziyadne, the son of another hostage, Youssef Ziyadne, found dead alongside him in an underground tunnel near the southern city of Rafah.



The family of Hamza, an Israeli Bedouin taken hostage by Hamas-led fighters alongside his father, had been notified of his death following the conclusion of forensic tests, the Israeli military said on Friday.



Earlier this week, it said the bodies of both hostages had been recovered close to those of armed guards from Islamist group Hamas or another Palestinian militant group, adding their deaths did not appear to have been recent and it was not yet clear how they had been killed.



There was no immediate comment from Hamas.



The recovery of their bodies comes amid renewed efforts by mediators Qatar, the U.S. and Egypt to reach a deal to halt fighting in Gaza and free the remaining Israeli hostages before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on Jan. 20.



The Hostages and Missing Family Forum, the organisation representing most of the families, renewed its call on the Israeli government to conclude a deal with Hamas and bring back the hostages, saying Youssef and Hamza could have been saved through an earlier agreement.