Israel has recovered the body of slain hostage Meny Godard after the remains were transferred from Gaza by the International Committee of the Red Cross, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed Thursday.

Godard, 73, a resident of a kibbutz near the Gaza border, was killed during the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023. His death was confirmed two months later, but his body had remained in Gaza until this week.

Earlier Thursday, the armed wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad announced they would hand over the body at 8 p.m. local time, though Israeli officials said they received no advance notification of the transfer.

Once in Israel, the remains underwent forensic examination and were positively identified within three hours. Israeli authorities say the bodies of three additional hostages are still being held in Gaza.

“The Government and the entire establishment for the missing and captives are determined and working tirelessly to bring home all of our fallen for a proper burial,” Netanyahu’s office said.

Islamic Jihad claimed Godard’s body was retrieved in Khan Younis, a city in southern Gaza that has been a focal point of fighting.

The handover comes amid the backdrop of an earlier ceasefire agreement reached in October, under which Hamas released the 20 remaining surviving hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and wartime detainees. That deal also included a provision for exchanging remains: 28 Israeli hostages in return for the bodies of 360 militants.