JERUSALEM

The Israeli army announced on Sunday the retrieval of the body of soldier Oron Shaul, who had been held in Gaza since 2014.

In a statement, the army confirmed that Shaul's body was retrieved during a “special operation” that took place in Gaza.

Shaul, who was killed in the Shujaiya neighborhood during Israel’s offensive Operation Protective Edge on July 20, 2014, had been held in Gaza since his death.

The 2014 Israeli military offensive in Gaza killed around 2,200 Palestinians.

The Israeli army said efforts to return Shaul’s body continued for nearly a decade, particularly intensified during the current war in Gaza.

There was no immediate statement from Hamas on Israel’s report.

Israel has killed nearly 47,000 people in Gaza since an Oct. 7, 2023 cross-border attack by Hamas.

A ceasefire between Hamas and Israel is set to take effect on 8.30 a.m. local time (0630GMT), as per the timeline agreed upon by mediators Qatar, Egypt, and the US.

The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants in November 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.

* Writing by Ikram Kouachi.