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ISRAEL HAS IDENTIFIED the remains of an Israeli man returned from Gaza overnight as Lior Rudaeff, who died during Hamas’ October 7 attack in 2023.
The announcement, made by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, marks another step forward in the US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
Rudaeff, originally from Argentina, had lived in Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak in southern Israel since childhood.
He volunteered for over 40 years as an ambulance driver and was a member of the kibbutz emergency response team.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum confirmed he was killed in the Hamas-led assault, and his body was taken to Gaza before being returned under the terms of the ceasefire.
Since the ceasefire began on October 10, Palestinian militants have returned the remains of 23 hostages, with five still held in Gaza.
In exchange, Israel has handed over 285 bodies of Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry and the Red Cross, though identification has been slow due to limited DNA resources.
Despite the ceasefire, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza remains dire.
The UN reports that while more than 200,000 metric tons of aid is positioned to enter the territory, only 37,000 tons, mostly food, have been delivered so far.
More than 200 Palestinians have been killed since the truce, including more than 100 people during two days of Israeli strikes in late October.
Three Israeli soldiers were killed in Gaza over the same period.
Meanwhile, violence continues along the northern border.
An Israeli drone strike on a car in Bint Jbeil, southern Lebanon yesterday injured seven people, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
Israel claims the attack targeted Hezbollah installations, accusing the group of failing to disarm under a 2024 agreement, while Hezbollah says it remains committed to the ceasefire but will not disarm as long as Israeli forces continue strikes in Lebanese territory.
The ongoing conflict has drawn international concern.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned against violations of the Gaza ceasefire, appealing for all parties to adhere to the agreements.
Eu officials also condemned the assault.
“The EU calls on Israel to cease all actions that violate resolution 1701 and the ceasefire agreement reached a year ago in November 2024,” EU foreign affairs spokesman Anouar El Anouni stated.
“At the same time, we urge all Lebanese actors and especially Hezbollah to refrain from any measures or responses that could further inflame the situation,” he added.
Additional reporting from Press Association
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