Israeli soldiers recovered the body of a 53-year-old hostage in an underground tunnel in southern Gaza, the military said Wednesday, and the army was determining if another set of remains belongs to the man's son. The discovery of Yosef AlZayadni's body comes as Israel and Hamas are considering a ceasefire deal that would free the remaining hostages and halt the fighting in Gaza. Israel says about a third of the remaining 100 hostages have died, but believes as many as half could be dead.

The body was retrieved from an underground tunnel in the Rafah area of the Gaza Strip, the army says.

Blinken expresses hope for Gaza ceasefire before Biden leaves office this month

Israeli forces have recovered the body of a hostage held in Gaza, the military said Wednesday, adding that it was identifying additional remains that could belong to another captive. The recovery of Yosef AlZayadni, 53, from an underground tunnel comes as Israel and Hamas are considering a ceasefire and hostage release deal. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and abducting around 250. A third of the 100 hostages still in Gaza are believed to be dead.Palestinian medics said Israeli airstrikes killed at least nine people in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, including three infants — among them a 1-week-old — and two women. Israel’s military says it only targets militants, accusing them of hiding among civilians.Israel’s air and ground offensive against Hamas in Gaza has killed over 45,800 Palestinians, according to the Health Ministry. It does not say how many were fighters, but says women and children make up over half the fatalities. The military…

Nearly 20 arrested in latest overnight operation in occupied territory

Facing international condemnation and pressure to free the chief of Kamal Adwan Hospital, Israel released a brief interrogation video backing up its claim that militants used the hospital as a base.

A Palestinian official said three people including two children were killed Wednesday in an Israeli air strike on the occupied West Bank.

Violence has escalated in the occupied territory over the last year and a half, as Israel conducts raids targeting armed fighters with Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.

The bodies’ recovery comes as Israel and Hamas are considering a ceasefire deal that would free the hostages and halt the fighting in Gaza.

The army said ‘troops located and recovered the body of hostage Youssef al-Zayadna from an underground tunnel in the Rafah area of the Gaza Strip’.

The bodies of an Israeli father and son who had been taken hostage by Hamas have been found in Gaza, their family has said.

Israel’s military said the body of Yosef Al Zaydani was recovered in an underground tunnel in Gaza and that it was examining whether a second body was that of another hostage.

Israel’s defense minister said Wednesday that troops have recovered the bodies of two additional hostages from Gaza.