Although the IDF notified the family last year that Itay Chen had not survived, they clung to the hope that he may still be alive. Staff-Sergeant Itay Chen's remains were returned to Israel on Tuesday night.

The bodies of three Israel Defense Forces soldiers -- including American-Israeli Omer Neutra -- were returned to Israel by Hamas.

Baruch, a talented chess player and anime fan, lived in Kibbutz Be’eri and had just returned from his big trip to South America before the October 7 massacre. The remains of slain hostage Sahar Baruch have been identified through forensic testing,