The Israeli military says it has identified a body handed over from Gaza as a 61-year-old Israeli-Argentinian.
By Nathan Morley
The Israeli military says it has identified a body handed over from Gaza as that of Lior Rudaeff, a 61-year-old Israeli-Argentinian who was killed while defending the Nir Yitzhak kibbutz during the October. 7 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel.
According to the military, Rudaeff’s body was taken to Gaza by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which said it was discovered Friday in Khan Younis.
The return of Rudaeff’s remains comes amid the first phase of a ceasefire deal that began on October 10.
Under the agreement, Hamas has released all 20 living hostages and returned the bodies of 23 out of 28 deceased hostages.
In a separate development, Türkiye’s Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has issued arrest warrants for 37 individuals, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity.
The prosecutor’s office said the warrants stem from an investigation into what it described as Israel’s “systematic” attacks on civilians in Gaza.
The probe was launched following complaints from victims and members of the Global Sumud Flotilla, a civilian aid mission intercepted by Israeli naval forces while attempting to deliver humanitarian supplies to Gaza.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar condemned the move, calling the warrants a “PR stunt” by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
President Erdogan has been a vocal critic of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.
Türkiye is one of the guarantor countries for the ceasefire agreement reached last month.