JERUSALEM — The Israeli military announced on Wednesday that the body of a 53-year-old hostage was discovered in an underground tunnel located in southern Gaza. The military is currently working to confirm whether another set of remains found belongs to the man’s son.
Yosef AlZayadni’s discovery coincides with ongoing discussions between Israel and Hamas regarding a potential ceasefire that could lead to the release of remaining hostages and a halt to the conflict in Gaza. According to Israeli officials, approximately one-third of the 100 hostages still in captivity are believed to have perished, with estimates suggesting that the death toll could be as high as half.
Prior to Wednesday’s announcement, both Yosef and his son, Hamzah AlZayadni, were thought to still be alive, raising the stakes for Israel as they face mounting pressure to expedite the negotiation of a ceasefire agreement. The military indicated that evidence found within the tunnel has led to “serious concerns” regarding the fate of 23-year-old Hamzah, implying he may have died while in captivity. An investigation is underway regarding the circumstances surrounding Yosef AlZayadni’s death, according to Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, an Israeli military spokesperson.
Yosef AlZayadni was among 250 hostages taken during a violent attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people. He had 19 children and worked for 17 years at a dairy farm on a kibbutz that experienced the attack. His teenage children, Bilal and Aisha, were part of a group of around 100 hostages released during a week-long ceasefire in November 2023.
So far, the remains of approximately thirty hostages have been retrieved from Gaza, while the Israeli military has successfully rescued eight hostages from captivity. The Hostages Families Forum expressed that the ongoing negotiation for a ceasefire comes “far too late for Yosef — who was taken alive and should have returned the same way.” They emphasized that “every day in captivity poses an immediate mortal danger to the hostages,” as previous tragedies involving high-profile hostages have triggered large demonstrations in Israel advocating for a resolution.
This week, a list of 34 hostages was shared by a Hamas official, which included Yosef AlZayadni’s name, indicating that these individuals were candidates for release. Israel clarified that this list was part of communications it made to mediators in July and claimed it has not received any response from Hamas.
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken remarked on the proximity of a ceasefire and hostage agreement between Israel and Hamas, expressing hope that a deal could be finalized before transferring U.S. diplomatic responsibilities to President-elect Donald Trump’s administration later this month.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced his condolences over AlZayadni’s passing, stating he had “hoped and worked to bring back the four members of the family from Hamas captivity.” Initially, Defense Minister Israel Katz reported that the bodies of both Yosef and Hamzah AlZayadni were found. However, subsequent military updates indicated that some remains have yet to be identified.
The AlZayadni family is part of the Bedouin community, which constitutes a segment of Israel’s Palestinian minority with citizenship. This traditionally nomadic group faces significant poverty in Israel and suffers from ongoing neglect and marginalization. Palestinians represent around 20% of Israel’s population of 10 million, with millions more residing in Gaza and under Israeli military control in the West Bank.
During the attacks in October 2023, eight members of Israel’s Bedouin minority were reported to have been abducted.
“We expected to bring them back alive,” stated Talal Alkernawi, the mayor of Rahat, the city from which the abducted men hailed. “Instead of returning them alive to their families, to raise their children, we receive them dead.”
Many family members express concern for their loved ones’ safety as the conflict in Gaza continues. Israeli forces persist in their military operations against Hamas, with Palestinian health officials reporting that Israeli airstrikes in the Gaza Strip led to the deaths of at least nine individuals on Wednesday, including three infants and two women. The Israeli military contends it targets militants, accusing them of using civilians as shields.
The ongoing conflict has reportedly resulted in over 45,800 Palestinian deaths, according to health authorities in the territory. While the exact number of fighters among the deceased remains unclear, reports indicate that women and children account for more than half of the casualties. The Israeli military claims over 17,000 militants have been killed but has not provided evidence to support this assertion.
The conflict has devastated large areas of Gaza, displacing around 90% of the 2.3 million inhabitants, often multiple times over.
In addition to the local impact, the conflict has influenced broader regional tensions, including a strained situation with Hezbollah controlled by Iran, which is currently maintained by a delicate ceasefire, as well as direct confrontations between Israel and Iran.
With Iran-backed rebels in Yemen targeting shipping in the Red Sea for an extended period, missile attacks aimed at Israel have recently escalated, with the rebels expressing intentions to end the war in Gaza. Concurrently, the U.S. military announced it had conducted a series of strikes against underground arms facilities belonging to the Houthi rebels.
