Israel has recovered the body of Ilan Weiss, a hostage killed during the October 7, 2023, attack that ignited the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip. Weiss' wife and daughter, also taken hostage, were released during a brief ceasefire in November 2023. The military is working to identify remains linked to another deceased hostage, with families notified of the developments.

During the October 7 attack, militants killed around 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. Since then, 148 hostages have been released, including 8 who were dead, and 50 bodies have been retrieved. Eight hostages have been rescued alive, while 49 remain in captivity, with the military believing 20 are still alive. The war has resulted in over 63,000 Palestinian deaths in Gaza, according to local health authorities.