IDF reports recovery of hostage’s body from Gaza

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Israeli Forces Recover Body of Hostage Ron Benjamin from Gaza

Israeli forces have recovered the body of one of the hostages from Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced. The army confirmed that Ron Benjamin, 53, was found alongside the bodies of three other hostages whose identities were confirmed on Friday.

The 53-year-old had been taking part in a group cycle ride near the Gaza border when the Hamas attack began on 7 October. About 1,200 people were killed during the unprecedented attack when Hamas gunmen burst into Israel and took 252 others back to Gaza as hostages.

Israeli military spokesperson Rear Adm Daniel Hagari stated that military intelligence found that Mr. Benjamin was killed on 7 October at the Mefalsim intersection, and his body was then abducted to Gaza by Hamas militants. Identification was carried out on Mr. Benjamin’s body, and his family has been informed.

Mr. Benjamin’s family described him as a family man, a husband, and father-of-two who loved cycling and traveling. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum mentioned that he used to go out for a ride every Saturday, just as he did on that fateful Saturday when he was taken hostage from the Kibbutz Be’eri area.

The IDF also recovered the bodies of three other hostages – Shani Louk, Amit Buskila, and Itzhak Gelerenter. The three victims had been killed at an intersection near the site of the Nova festival massacre in southern Israel before their bodies were taken to Gaza.

Ms. Louk, a German-Israeli citizen, had been attending the festival near the Kibbutz Re’im when gunmen opened fire. Ms. Buskila was a fashion stylist and social media influencer, while Mr. Gelerenter was a father and grandfather who arrived at the Nova festival only hours before the attacks began.

Hamas have not responded to the latest IDF announcement, but on Friday, the armed wing of Hamas stated that the captives they hold would return only through an “honorable exchange deal for our people.” Talks in Cairo aimed at securing a truce and further hostage releases are currently stalled.

In response to the ongoing situation, hundreds of people rallied in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening, calling for a ceasefire to bring the remaining hostages home, fresh elections, and for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to step down. Some of the protesters included relatives of hostages still held in Gaza.

Yotam Cohen, whose brother Nimrod is being held hostage in Gaza, expressed the urgency of the situation, stating, “We want to stop the bloodshed.” He emphasized the need for action as more hostages are returning in body bags and more soldiers are being killed in Gaza.

Videos and photos from Tel Aviv show police scuffling with protesters and using water cannon to disperse the crowd outside the Kirya military headquarters. The aftermath of the 7 October attacks has led to an offensive in Gaza that has resulted in the deaths of more than 35,000 people, mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. The UN reports that about 2.2 million Palestinians are facing chronic food shortages and are in urgent need of shelter and other assistance.