The body of Itay Svirsky, an Israeli hostage kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, was recovered from the Gaza Strip in a joint operation by the IDF and Shin Bet, the military confirmed Wednesday evening.

Svirsky, a member of Kibbutz Be’eri, was taken during the Hamas assault on his community. His parents, Orit and Rafi, were killed in the attack, one of the deadliest during the invasion.

Svirsky had been held with fellow hostages Noa Argamani and Yossi Sharabi before he was declared dead in January. Propaganda videos released by Hamas had shown the three hostages, with the last video falsely claiming that Svirsky and Sharabi had been killed in an Israeli airstrike, a claim later denied by the IDF.

In response to the news, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed deep sorrow for the loss of the Svirsky family, highlighting the bravery of the IDF and Shin Bet in recovering Itay’s body. He reiterated Israel’s commitment to relentlessly pursue the return of all hostages, both living and deceased.

President Isaac Herzog also offered his condolences, reflecting on his personal connection with Itay’s parents, Orit and Rafi, and hoped the family would find comfort in giving Itay a dignified burial. Herzog called for swift action to secure the release of all hostages, emphasizing Israel’s moral duty to bring them home.

Noa Argamani, who had been held captive with Svirsky, expressed her grief on social media, remembering him as a friend and a protector during their time in captivity. She lamented that she had never imagined Svirsky would return as a body, but expressed gratitude for their time together.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar informed German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock about the recovery of Svirsky’s body, noting that Svirsky also held German citizenship. Sa’ar emphasized the urgency of negotiating a deal to bring all hostages home. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum also called for a swift deal to return the remaining hostages, stating that the proper burial of Svirsky is an important step for his family and for the other families awaiting closure.

As of now, 100 Israelis remain in Hamas captivity, 96 of whom were kidnapped on October 7, with 35 confirmed to have died in captivity.