Hamas releases body of slain hostage — leaving only seven left in Gaza

Hamas released the body of slain Israeli-American hostage Itay Chen — the last US citizen held by the terror group, the IDF confirmed Tuesday night.

The terrorist group made the handoff to the Red Cross after reporting that another body was located in the Shejaiya neighborhood of Gaza City, where the remains of other hostages have been retrieved.

The body was later identified as Chen, a 19-year-old soldier with New York roots who was killed during the Oct. 7 terrorist attack, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

“The IDF expresses deep condolences to the family, continues to make every effort to return all the deceased hostages, and is prepared for the continued implementation of the agreement,” the Israeli military said in a statement.

“Hamas is required to fulfill its part of the agreement and make the necessary efforts to return all the hostages to their families and to a dignified burial,” the statement continued.

With the return of Chen, who had dual US-Israel citizenship, seven hostages remain in Gaza.

Hamas has previously handed over the remains of people not listed among the hostages who were kidnapped on Oct. 7, 2023, sparking backlash and airstrikes across Gaza that repeatedly threatened to undo the US-backed peace deal.

Like with other exchanges, Hamas didn’t confirm the identity of the body it released on Tuesday.

Before Tuesday’s exchange, six of the eight slain hostages were Israelis, one was a Tanzanian national, and one was from Thailand.

Hamas has faced increased pressure from Israel and the US to speed up the retrieval of the bodies in Gaza, with the Jewish state claiming that the terrorist group is purposefully slowing down the process as a negotiation tactic.

Hamas, however, insists that it needs more time and assistance in locating the slain hostages across war-torn Gaza, with Egyptian excavators currently operating inside the Strip to help.

Along with Tuesday’s hostage release, Gaza saw another tense conflict breakout amid the fragile cease-fire after Israeli soldiers fired at a “terrorist” who crossed the so-called “Yellow Line” demarcating the areas currently under IDF occupation.