Israel Confirms Returned Hostage as Meny Godard

Published: 14 November 2025. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

Israel has identified the hostage body returned by Hamas on Thursday as that of Meny Godard, who was 73 when he was killed during the 7 October attacks. Red Cross vehicles collected his body hours after Hamas issued a joint statement with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad saying it had been located in the Khan Younis area of southern Gaza.

The Israeli prime minister’s office said forensic testing confirmed the body belonged to Godard, who was killed along with his wife, Ayelet, during Hamas’s raid on kibbutz Be’eri on 7 October 2023. Three out of 28 deceased hostages remain in Gaza, under the first phase of the current ceasefire deal, part of a US plan to end the Gaza war.

Under the ceasefire arrangement, Hamas agreed to return the 20 living and 28 dead hostages it was still holding. All the living Israeli hostages were released on 13 October in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,718 detainees from Gaza. For each dead Israeli hostage returned, Israel has agreed to hand over the remains of 15 Palestinians. However, with no DNA testing available in Gaza, identifying them has proved challenging.

Hamas seized 251 hostages during its deadly attack in southern Israel on 7 October 2023, which also claimed the lives of 1,200 people. Israel’s retaliatory strikes have killed more than 69,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, whose figures are considered reliable by the UN.

Of the three bodies still in Gaza, two are Israeli and one is Thai. Israel has accused Hamas of deliberately delaying the recovery of the hostages’ bodies, while Hamas has said it is struggling to locate them under rubble from ongoing fighting.

The slow progress has delayed the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan, which includes the governance of Gaza, withdrawal of Israeli troops, disarmament of Hamas, and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.

The identification of Meny Godard comes as Israel and the international community continue to monitor the return of the remaining hostages. The first phase of the ceasefire has been critical in temporarily halting hostilities, but tensions remain high, and both sides have warned that the situation remains fragile.

Israeli officials described the return of Godard’s body as an important step in bringing closure to families affected by the attacks. Government sources said forensic teams worked quickly to confirm the identity, enabling authorities to prepare for a dignified transfer and burial.

Hamas’s statement indicated that locating Godard’s remains was part of a broader effort to manage the ongoing conflict under the ceasefire framework. While the group has provided some information on other hostages, the situation on the ground in Gaza makes further recoveries challenging.

The incident also highlights the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza, where infrastructure damage and access to essential services continue to impact civilians. International organizations have urged both sides to prioritize humanitarian access and ensure the safety of civilians, especially as negotiations continue.

For Israeli families, the process of recovering bodies has been emotionally taxing. In addition to Meny Godard, several other families are awaiting news on their loved ones. Each transfer is heavily mediated by the Red Cross, which acts as a neutral intermediary between the parties.

The current ceasefire, which facilitated the return of living hostages and some bodies, represents a fragile moment in a long-standing conflict. Analysts note that while the first phase has been implemented, the second phase, which involves broader political and territorial agreements, remains unresolved.

International observers continue to stress the need for transparency and adherence to the agreements. The exchange of hostages and bodies is a highly sensitive process, and delays or miscommunications could exacerbate tensions.

As Israel confirmed Meny Godard’s identity, the focus has shifted to ensuring the remaining bodies are returned safely and that further humanitarian arrangements are made. Both Israeli and Palestinian officials have emphasized that cooperation in this phase is crucial to preventing renewed violence.

For now, Meny Godard’s return brings a measure of closure for his family and marks another step in implementing the ceasefire agreement. Yet, the broader conflict remains unresolved, with the fate of hostages, ongoing military actions, and the humanitarian situation in Gaza continuing to pose serious challenges.