Israel has recovered the body of slain hostage Meny Godard after it was transferred from Gaza by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed on Thursday.
Godard, a 73-year-old resident of a kibbutz near the Gaza border, was killed during the Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023. His death was officially confirmed two months later, though his remains had been held in Gaza since the assault.
Earlier in the day, the armed wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad announced plans to hand over the body at 8 p.m. local time, though Israeli officials said they received no formal notice ahead of the transfer.
Upon arrival in Israel, the remains were taken for forensic examination and identified within three hours as those of Godard. According to Israeli authorities, the bodies of three other hostages are still being held in Gaza.
“The Government and the entire establishment for the missing and the captives of the State of Israel are determined, committed, and working tirelessly to return all of our fallen hostages for proper burial in their country,” Netanyahu’s office said in a statement.
Islamic Jihad claimed Godard’s body had been recovered in Khan Younis, a southern Gaza city that has seen intense fighting.
The return comes against the backdrop of a previous ceasefire agreement reached in October, under which Hamas freed the remaining 20 surviving hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and wartime detainees. That deal also included provisions for the exchange of remains: 28 Israeli hostages in return for the bodies of 360 militants.
Melissa Enoch
About the Author
