On Saturday, the Israeli government announced it had identified the remains of a second hostage recently recovered from Gaza, the 28-year-old Portuguese-Israeli Idan Shtivi. The Portuguese government has responded by offering condolences to the family of the man, who was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
“A special operation in the Gaza Strip enabled the repatriation of the deceased Idan Shtivi’s body,” stated the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also mentioned on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that “the body of Idan Shtivi, who was held hostage for 693 days in Gaza, was recovered in a joint IDF and Internal Security Agency (ISA) operation, alongside the body of Ilan Weiss.”
Israeli authorities noted that the young man “was murdered and kidnapped by Hamas terrorists in the Tel Gama area, in southern Israel.”
“Before his death, he heroically helped evacuate and save many others who were attending the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023. May his memory be a blessing,” they highlighted.
Body of Deceased Hostage Idan Shtivi Recovered
The body of Idan Shtivi, who was held hostage for 693 days in Gaza, was recovered in a joint IDF and ISA operation, alongside the body of Ilan Weiss.
Idan, 28, was murdered and kidnapped by Hamas terrorists from the Tel Gama area… pic.twitter.com/N2DWq7Xl9J
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 30, 2025
On Friday, the Israeli army had already announced the repatriation of two hostages’ remains, of which only one was initially identified as Ilan Weiss, aged 56, who was killed during the attack on the Be’eri kibbutz.
In October 2024, nearly a year ago, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed deep sorrow over the death of the Hamas hostage with Portuguese nationality, Idan Shtivi.
“We express deep sorrow for the death, now confirmed, of our fellow citizen Idan Shtivi, one of the many hostages of Hamas, and we extend heartfelt condolences to his family,” stated the Portuguese diplomacy at the time.
Idan Shtivi was a 28-year-old amateur photographer. According to Netanyahu’s office, he was a sustainability student.
Last May, Idan Shtivi’s father visited Portugal. “I am here because I want to tell the people of Portugal that they have a citizen imprisoned in Gaza,” Eli Shtivi declared.
Families of three Israeli hostages today asked the Portuguese and European governments in Lisbon to demand the immediate release of their sons and brothers, emphasizing that one has Portuguese citizenship and the others have European origins.
Lusa | 14:24 – 06/05/2025
On social network X, the Israeli ambassador to Portugal, Oren Rozenblat, also confirmed that the body of Idan Shtivi was recovered by Israel “in a complex military operation.”
In a message posted on the same platform, the Portuguese Ministry of Foreign Affairs paid “heartfelt tribute to the Portuguese-Israeli citizen.” “The Government pays heartfelt tribute to the Portuguese-Israeli citizen Idan Shtivi, taken hostage by the Hamas terrorist group in the dreadful attacks of October 7, whose body has now been recovered. Condolences are extended to the family and the people of Israel, standing in solidarity with their suffering,” it read.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs “expressed solidarity” with the family of the Portuguese-Israeli Idan Shtivi, whose body was recovered and will be sent to Israel, as announced today.
Notícias ao Minuto | 22:55 – 30/08/2025
Israel has been conducting a military offensive in the Gaza Strip since it suffered an attack by the radical Palestinian group Hamas on October 7, 2023, causing about 1,200 deaths and 250 hostages, 48 of whom remain in Gaza.
Israel estimates that of these 48 kidnapped people, at least 20 are still alive.
The last time Israel recovered the remains of hostages in Gaza was on June 21, when the bodies of three Israelis killed on October 7 were found and taken to Gaza by Palestinian militias.
The latest death toll from the offensive, released by the Ministry of Health in the Hamas-controlled enclave, is nearly 63,400, including 330 fatalities, of whom 124 were children, from hunger due to Israeli restrictions on humanitarian aid deliveries.
The Israeli army declared Gaza City a “dangerous combat zone” on Friday as it prepares to occupy it.
According to UN data, about one million Palestinians are in Gaza City. Thousands of residents have already fled the city, located in the northern Palestinian enclave.
