JERUSALEM: Israel’s army said on Saturday (Apr 6) its troops recovered the body of a hostage abducted by Palestinian militants during the Oct 7 attack on southern Israeli communities.
The recovery of Elad Katzir’s body brings to 12 the number that the army says it has brought home from Gaza during the war.
But it gave no comfort to his sister, who blamed Israeli authorities for his death.
“The body of the abductee Elad Katzir, who according to intelligence was murdered in captivity by the Islamic Jihad terrorist organisation, was rescued overnight from Khan Younis and returned to Israeli territory,” the army said in a statement.
Katzir, 47 at the time of attack, was abducted from Nir Oz kibbutz community along with his mother Hanna.
She was released on Nov 24 during a one-week truce in the war in Gaza. Katzir’s father Avraham was killed during the attack at the kibbutz, the army said.
“Elad was kidnapped from his home in Nir Oz in one piece,” Carmit Palty Katzir, his sister, wrote on her Facebook page.
She blamed the Israeli authorities for her brother’s death, saying he would have returned alive had the authorities agreed to a new truce deal.
“Our leadership is cowardly and driven by political consideration, which is why this deal has not happened yet,” she wrote.
“Prime minister, war Cabinet, and coalition members: Look at yourself in the mirror and say if your hands didn’t spill blood.”
