Israeli forces have recovered the body of Yosef AlZayadni, a 53-year-old hostage held in Gaza, from an underground tunnel in the southern Gaza city of Rafah. The military expressed “serious concerns” for the life of AlZayadni’s son Hamzah, who was also taken captive on October 7, 2023, suggesting he may have died in captivity.

The recovery of AlZayadni’s body comes as Israel and Hamas are considering a ceasefire deal that would free the hostages and halt the fighting in Gaza. Israel believes at least a third of the remaining 100 hostages are dead. However, Yosef and Hamzah AlZayadni were believed to still be alive before Wednesday’s announcement, and news about their fate could ramp up pressure on Israel to move ahead on a deal.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed sorrow, saying he had “hoped and worked to bring back the four members of the family from Hamas captivity.” Many families of hostages have demanded that Israel reach a deal with Hamas to free their loved ones, citing the risk to their lives posed by the ongoing war in Gaza.

AlZayadni, a member of Israel’s Bedouin minority, had 19 children and worked at a dairy in southern Israel for 17 years. He was kidnapped along with three of his children, including Hamzah, during Hamas’ attack on southern Israel in October 2023. Two of his teenage children, Bilal and Aisha, were released in a weeklong ceasefire deal in November.

SOURCE: AP News