The body of an Israeli hostage has been recovered in Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Saturday. Special forces in the southern city of Khan Younis found the body identified as Elad Katzir’s.

According to Daily Caller, Katzir was taken hostage from his home in Nir Oz, a kibbutz in southern Israel, in the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack, which claimed 1,200 lives, by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group along with his mother, Hanna.

“According to intelligence, Elad was murdered by IJ in captivity,” the IDF said in a statement. “Our mission since the beginning of the war has been, and remains, to locate and bring the hostages home. We will continue to operate until it is complete.”

According to the IDF, Katzir’s mother was released in late November, while his father, Avraham, was killed in Israel during Hamas’ initial attack.

Reports in The Times of Israel revealed that Katzir was seen alive in two propaganda videos published by the Islamic Jihad group in December and January.

Following his murder, Katzir was buried in the Khan Younis refugee camp in southern Gaza at a site used by terror operatives. Information on where he was buried was obtained around a week ago.

Following the discovery of Katzir’s body, Katzir’s sister Carmit Palty Katzir slammed the Israeli government for not doing enough to bring her brother back alive.

“He could have been saved if a deal had been reached in time. Our leadership is cowardly and motivated by political considerations, which is why that didn’t happen,” she wrote. “He was abandoned on Oct. 7 and was then abandoned for one hundred and eighty-three days during which he could have been brought back home alive.”

 

“Look at yourselves in the mirror and see if your hands didn’t spill that blood. You have 133 more hostages to redeem, worlds to save,” the victims sister said in another statement blasting the Israeli government.

According to reports, Katzir was a farmer and social activist who volunteered for the Hadar Foundation, showing up each week to support the fight for the release of Hadar Goldin and Oron Shaul, two soldiers whose bodies are held in Gaza.