Israel has confirmed that the body of Staff Sergeant Itay Chen, a 19-year-old Israeli-American soldier, has been returned from Gaza by Hamas via the Red Cross. The return took place on Tuesday as part of a ceasefire deal brokered by US President Donald Trump last month.
Chen’s remains were identified by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and his family was notified shortly afterward. The young soldier served in the IDF’s 7th Brigade and was killed inside a tank during the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks on southern Israel. His body was taken to Gaza by Hamas militants following the battle in Kibbutz Nir Oz.
Hamas’s military wing claimed it found Chen’s body in the Shejaiya neighborhood of Gaza City. The recovery operation was conducted with permission from Israeli forces and the Red Cross.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed condolences, stating, “The remains of Itay Chen, a young American taken hostage by Hamas at just 19 years old, have finally returned home. We honour his life, mourn his loss, and stand with his family.”
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum in Israel welcomed Chen’s return but urged continued efforts to recover the remaining seven deceased hostages still believed to be in Gaza.
Under the ceasefire agreement, Hamas committed to releasing 20 living and 28 dead hostages within 72 hours. All living hostages were freed on October 13, in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,718 detainees from Gaza.
Meanwhile, the United States has drafted a UN Security Council resolution proposing a two-year transitional governance mandate in Gaza, overseen by an International Stabilisation Force to secure borders, support demilitarization, and rebuild the territory.
As Gaza’s humanitarian crisis deepens, the slow progress of the ceasefire deal underscores the fragile path toward peace and recovery in the region.
