Israel’s army confirmed Friday that one of the bodies recovered from Gaza earlier this week was that of 23-year-old hostage Hamzah AlZayadni.

His body was retrieved with that of his father, Yosef AlZayadni, who were taken together when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel 15 months ago. His father was quickly identified, while his son’s remains were sent for verification.

In recent weeks, Israel and Hamas have appeared to inch closer to an agreement for a ceasefire and the release of hostages. Palestinians and family members of hostages who were killed in captivity have been imploring the Israeli government and world leaders for a ceasefire deal.

Gaza’s Health Ministry said Thursday that 46,006 Palestinians have been killed and 109,378 wounded in the Israel-Hamas war, with no end in sight. It has said women and children were more than half the fatalities but does not say how many of the dead were fighters or civilians.

The Israeli military says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence. It blames Hamas for civilian deaths because it says militants operate in residential areas. Israel’s air and ground operations have driven hundreds of thousands of Palestinians into sprawling tent camps along the coast with limited access to food and other essentials.

The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people and abducting around 250. A third of the 100 hostages still held in Gaza are believed to be dead.

Here’s the latest:

President of Cyprus to meet Lebanon’s new president

NICOSIA, Cyprus — The president of Cyprus says he will be the first head of state to meet with the newly elected president of Lebanon, Joseph Aoun.

President Nikos Christodoulides told reporters Friday that he would be meeting Aoun when he departs for Lebanon around midday Friday.

Christodoulides said he knows Aoun “well” from his tenure as chief of Lebanon’s armed forces.

He said the meeting is indicative of the role that Cyprus, as a European Union member closest to the Middle East, can play in helping to “meet the challenges that have arisen in the region.”

In a written statement, Cyprus government spokesman Constantinos Letymbiotis said Christodoulides will also discuss with Aoun Lebanon’s internal issues and to convey Cyprus’ readiness to provide any needed assistance and to strengthen relations with its neighbor.

Cyprus is less than 200 kilometers (130 miles) from the Lebanese capital Beirut and has provided the country with military assistance to prop up its armed forces.

Body of hostage Hamzah AlZayadni identified after recovery in Gaza

JERUSALEM — Israel’s army confirmed Friday that one of the bodies recovered from Gaza earlier this week was that of 23-year-old hostage Hamzah AlZayadni.

The army said Friday that the identification was made by the National Institute of Forensic Medicine and Israel’s police and the family has been notified. The army said its forces recovered the bodies of Hamzah and his father from an underground tunnel in the Rafah area and returned them to Israel.

His father, Yosef AlZayadni, had been identified earlier this week. The father and son were thought to still be alive before this week’s announcement. They were kidnapped together from Kibbutz Holit, when Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

The news comes as Israel and Hamas are considering a ceasefire deal that would free remaining hostages and halt the fighting in Gaza. Israel says about a third of the remaining 100 hostages have died, but believes as many as half could be dead. Their fates could ramp up pressure on Israel to move forward with a deal.

The Hostages Families Forum, which represents families of the hostages, said Hamzah was a nature lover who had deep affection for animals and was beloved by his friends. He leaves behind a wife and two children.

Oil tanker that threated Red Sea spill has been salvaged

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — An oil tanker that burned for weeks and threatened a massive oil spill in the Red Sea has been salvaged, a security firm said Friday.

The Sounion had been a disaster-in-waiting in the waterway, with 1 million barrels of crude oil aboard that had been struck and later sabotaged with explosives by Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. It took months for salvagers to tow the vessel away, extinguish the fires and offload the remaining crude oil.

The Houthis initially attacked the Greek-flagged Sounion tanker on Aug. 21 with small-arms fire, projectiles and a drone boat. A French destroyer rescued its crew of 25 Filipinos and Russians, as well as four private security personnel, and took them to nearby Djibouti.

The Houthis later released footage showing they planted explosives on board the Sounion and ignited them in a propaganda video, which the rebels have done before.

The Houthis have targeted some 100 merchant vessels with missiles and drones since the war in Gaza started in October 2023. The rebels maintain they target ships linked to Israel, the U.S. or the U.K. to force an end to Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the conflict.