Overview

• The body of Yair Yaakov, who died on the day he was abducted during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 assault, was recovered along with another unidentified hostage in Khan Younis.
• Israeli forces and Shin Bet operatives conducted a joint operation in southern Gaza to retrieve the remains.
• Latest army estimates indicate that of the 54 hostages still held in Gaza, at least 32 are believed to be deceased.
• Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that his government will persist until both living and deceased captives are returned to Israel.
• The German Foreign Office and its ambassador to Israel extended condolences to Yaakov’s family, noting his sons were freed during a ceasefire in November 2023.