The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced this morning the rescue of the body of kidnapped Ilan Weiss, 55, from Kibbutz Barry, who was murdered and taken from his home on October 7, 2023, by Hamas. The complex rescue operation, which also yielded findings related to another kidnapped individual whose name has not yet been published, was carried out by IDF forces in the Southern Command in conjunction with the AMM, Shin Bet, and special forces. Initial information regarding the location of the bodies reportedly came from investigations into terrorists apprehended by Israeli forces during operations in Gaza. Weiss's wife, Shiri, and daughter, Noga, were previously released in a hostage deal in November 2023. The IDF and Shin Bet stated they are participating in the grief of the families and will continue efforts to locate all abducted individuals. The additional kidnapped individual's identification procedure is ongoing. Separately, Hamas's internal security mechanism has warned of a new IDF method to eliminate military activists in Gaza, claiming Israeli intelligence calls families to inform them of eliminations, leading them to the activist's location. Meanwhile, fighting continues in Gaza City, described as a "dangerous fighting area" starting today at 10:00 AM local time, with a temporary tactical armistice in place that excludes military activities in that region. The Turkish Foreign Ministry has also stated it has cut economic relations with Israel for the second time. In the Zeitun neighborhood of Gaza City, satellite imagery from The New York Times shows extensive destruction between August 8 and August 25. IDF forces operating in the northern Gaza Strip have identified and eliminated a Hamas terrorist squad hiding in a military structure. Reports indicate that approximately 400 Hamas fighters are no longer in the Zeitun neighborhood, with some remaining guerrillas attempting ambushes from tunnels. The Nahal Brigade, operating in the Zeanon neighborhood, reported identifying a terrorist squad in a military structure, which was subsequently attacked by the air force. Fighters from the 82nd Battalion have been engaged in operations in Gaza, including tunnel elimination and frustrating terrorist attacks. Commanders noted that fighting against the "terrorist monster" is "long, systematic, thorough." The forces discovered seven large ventral charges on one axis section, each capable of disabling a tank or personnel carrier. In Rafah, local leaders are reportedly piloting religious education for peace in Hamas-free zones, with one leader stating, "Hamas stole our children from us in the name of Islam. Today, we take a step toward reclaiming them."
