Hamas has returned the body of the last deceased American hostage in Gaza, 19-year-old Israeli-American soldier Itay Chen, bringing a measure of closure to families whose relatives were seized during the group's Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Chen, who also held German citizenship, was killed fighting alongside his tank crew in southern Israel during the assault, per the Wall Street Journal. He was one of roughly 250 hostages taken that day, including about a dozen Americans, according to the Hostages Families Forum. Chen's father, Ruby Chen, became a prominent advocate, meeting with leaders worldwide and pressing for his son's return.
As part of the recent US-brokered ceasefire deal, Hamas has returned all remaining living hostages and 21 bodies in exchange for the release of Palestinians held in Israel. Chen's body was returned late Tuesday. Seven deceased hostages are still in Gaza, including an Israeli soldier captured in 2014 as well as two foreign nationals and four Israelis who were taken during the 2023 attack. Officials caution that recovering all remaining hostage bodies may be difficult due to unknown locations and widespread destruction in Gaza. Israel has so far returned the bodies of 270 Palestinians, with fewer than half identified, per the AP.
The ongoing ceasefire involves a phased approach, starting with prisoner-hostage exchanges and a limited Israeli withdrawal. The more complex second phase will address issues such as Hamas' disarmament and the introduction of an international stabilization force.
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