The body of a hostage taken on October 7 has been found in the Gaza Strip.

On Wednesday, the IDF reported that the body of Yusuf al-Ziyadna was discovered in a tunnel in the southern Gaza Strip near Rafah. It is claimed that he was killed. The report also states that materials have been found that raise serious questions about whether the son of the deceased hostage, Hamza al-Ziyadna, is still alive.

Additionally, a number of Israeli media outlets, as well as Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz, are reporting that the body of Hamza al-Ziyadna has also been found, although this is not mentioned in the official IDF statement.

During the attack on October 7, HAMAS took hostage four members of the al-Ziyadna family. Two of them—the son and daughter of Yusuf—were released earlier. The family belongs to the Bedouin community.

If the death of Hamza al-Ziyadna is confirmed, the number of remaining hostages in the Gaza Strip currently stands at 99. It is unknown how many of them are still alive. Negotiations for a potential ceasefire and the release of hostages continue with the mediation of Qatar and Egypt.

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