Military spokesman Rear-Admiral Daniel Hagari said Benjamin’s body was found during the same operation that saw troops recover the remains of three other captives, which was announced on Friday.
The bodies of the other captives were also recovered in a tunnel in Gaza, according to the Israeli military. Hagari added Benjamin and the other three captives had been killed on the day they were taken.
Israel continued its brutal offensive on the Gaza Strip despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in the enclave.
Nearly 35,400 Palestinians have been killed, mostly women and children, and over 79,300 others injured since last October following a Hamas attack.
More than seven months into the Israeli war, vast swathes of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.
Israel is accused of “genocide” at the International Court of Justice, which has ordered Tel Aviv to ensure its forces do not commit acts of genocide and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.
Thousands of Israelis demonstrated on Saturday in several cities across Israel, including Tel Aviv and Haifa, demanding a hostage swap deal with the Palestinian resistance groups, the dismissal of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, and early elections.
The protesters held signs, reading: “It’s time to replace Netanyahu.”
The demonstrators called for a return to the negotiating table immediately and for striking an agreement with the Palestinian factions.
