The body of an Israeli soldier, who had been forced to appear in a Hamas propaganda video that later cut to footage of her lifeless body, was found near al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza, Israel said on Friday. The IDF said that the body of Cpl Noa Marciano, 19, was found in a building next to the Al-Shifa Hospital.
Marciano, 19, was "abducted and murdered" by Hamas and her body was discovered by Israel's 7th Armored Brigade's 603rd Battalion, which was operating "adjacent" to the hospital, the Times of Israel reported. On Thursday, the IDF said they found the body of a 65-year-old hostage in a house near the same hospital.
Found Dead after Being Kidnapped
Daniel Hagari, a spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), posted on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that Israeli intelligence played a crucial role in guiding soldiers to the precise location of Marciano's body.
"The IDF sends its heartfelt condolences to the family and will continue to support them," the Israel Defense Forces wrote on X.
Cpl. Noa Marciano appeared in a Hamas video on Monday, in which she said that she was being held in Gaza and appealed to the Israeli military to cease its bombardment of the area.
The video then cuts to show her lifeless body. Israel officially confirmed her death on Tuesday.
The IDF did not share further details on Cpl. Marciano's cause of death.
Hamas's military wing claimed she was killed in an Israeli airstrike on November 9, but independent verification of this claim is not available.
Israeli officials denounced Hamas for its ongoing use of "psychological terror," particularly through the distribution of videos and images featuring hostages.
Family Mourns Death of Brave Soldier
At her funeral on Friday, Cpl. Marciano's mother tearfully paid tribute to her daughter. "Our dear Noni, in a normal sane world, we shouldn't be standing here now, but we aren't in a normal world," Marciano's grief-stricken mother said in a video shared on the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's Facebook,
"At 19, you were taken from us prematurely. The mind struggles to let go, and the heart refuses to accept."
The devastated mother mentioned that the family had "exhausted every means" in their efforts to bring Marciano home.
She also offered an apology to her daughter, expressing regret for what she perceived as "failing" her, as she was unable to ensure her safe return home.
Marciano was a member of the Combat Intelligence Collections Corps 414th unit and was stationed at the Nahal Oz IDF base when she was captured during a raid conducted by the Palestinian terror group Hamas on October 7, as reported by the Times of Israel.
Marciano's body was found as the IDF continued its search for Hamas infrastructure within the hospital complex.
She was the second hostage whose remains were found. The body of Judith Weiss, who was also kidnapped on October 7, was found near al-Shifa Hospital on Wednesday.
