IDF Spokesman: We can't elaborate on operation to recover Itay Svirsky's body to protect the forces

Terror group's leaders instruct those holding hostages captive in Gaza to 'tighten' living conditions of the captives and 'neutralize' them if rescue appears close at hand.

Noa Argamani, who was held in captivity for part of the time with Itay Svirsky, lamented his death: 'We didn't think for a moment that this is how you would return to Israel.'

IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari criticized Knesset legislation that would grant immunity to soldiers who pass on classified information, without authorization, to the political echelon.

Sources tell Reuters that Steve Witkoff, Trump's incoming Middle East envoy, has initiated diplomatic efforts to broker a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release agreement and has met with the prime ministers of both Qatar and Israel.

The body of hostage Itai Svirsky, who was kidnapped on October 7, has been recovered from the Gaza Strip, it was cleared for publication Wednesday evening.

IDF Spokesman Daniel Hagari revealed footage of the conditions in which six hostages who were murdered during the summer were held.

According to a Palestinian Arab source in the Gaza Strip, Hamas has located the body of its military leader and buried it in a secret location so that Israel would not exhume it as well as to not break its terrorists' spirit.