Netanyahu’s office urges Hamas to abide by deal and return remaining hostage bodies

After military representatives notified the family of Eliyahu Margalit, 75, that his body was returned to Israel by Hamas last night, following his identification by forensic experts, the Prime Minister’s Office says Hamas must abide by the deal and return the remains of the other 18 slain hostages still held in Gaza.

The IDF says that according to its intelligence information, Eliyahu was murdered on October 7, 2023, and his body was abducted to Gaza, from the horse stables in Kibbutz Nir Oz. His death had been confirmed by the military in December 2023.

A statement issued by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says “the Government of Israel shares in the deep sorrow of the Margalit family and all the families of the fallen hostages.”

It says that Israel is “determined, committed, and working tirelessly” to bring back all of the dead hostages for burial, adding that Hamas is “required to fulfill its commitments to the mediators and return them as part of the implementation of the agreement.”

The military says that it “continues to devote all efforts to the return of the fallen hostages, and is preparing for the continued implementation of the agreement.”

“Hamas is required to fulfill its part of the agreement and make every necessary effort to return the fallen hostages to their families for proper burial,” the IDF adds.