By New York Post (World News) | Created at 2025-01-20 23:55:05 | Updated at 2025-01-21 03:26:10
3 hours ago
The Israeli military has recovered the body of slain Staff Sgt. Oron Shaul, whose remains have been held by Hamas since 2014, just before Sunday’s cease-fire deal went into effect.
Shaul’s remains were found in the Gaza Strip during a joint “covert, special operation” by the Israeli Defense Forces and the Shin Bet intelligence agency, the military said.
Shaul, 20, who was killed during an operation in Gaza city during the 2014 conflict, was expected to be among the hostages eventually released as part of the breakthrough cease-fire agreement, but IDF spokesman Daniel Hagari said the deceased soldier will be returning home early.
“This was a significant intelligence and operational undertaking that lasted over the past decade since his fall and abduction, and especially during the war and over the past few days,” Hagari said during a Sunday night news conference.
The operation to recover Shaul’s body was carried over the weekend by the Israeli Navy’s Shayetet 13 commando unit and Shin Bet’s elite forces, IDF officials said.
The search was carried out in northern Gaza, from which the IDF is withdrawing and where Hamas has maintained a stronghold after resurfacing following months of prolonged war.
Shaul’s body was then brought back to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute, where his identity was confirmed and his family contacted.
Shaul was one of two slain IDF soldiers whose bodies have been held hostage in Gaza for more than a decade, the other being Lt. Hadar Goldin.
“We have completed the mission to bring back Oron and will not rest until we also complete the mission to bring back Hadar Goldin,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.
“We will continue to act to return all of our hostages, the living and the deceased,” he added.
Defense Minister Israel Katz also touted the successful operation, as well as the Shaul family’s advocacy as they “never stopped working to bring their son home.”
Following Sunday’s cease-fire and first wave of hostage releases, Hamas currently has 94 captives who were taken during the Oct. 7 terrorist attack.
Along with the hostages, the terror group is also holding two civilians who entered the Gaza Strip in 2014 and 2015, as well as Goldin’s body.
The additional hostages are still expected to be released as part of the agreement, with the two civilians, Avera Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed, listed among the 33 hostages to be freed in the first 42-days of the truce.
