Hamas’ armed wing published Saturday “farewell” photographs of most of the remaining hostages in Gaza, warning that Israel’s assault on Gaza City could endanger them.

The images were captioned with the name of Israeli pilot Ron Arad, who has been missing since 1986 after being shot down over Lebanon. His fate has been the source of heavy speculation and public concern ever since, as his remains have never been found.

Arad was believed to have been initially held by Shiite groups in Lebanon and is now presumed dead. He has been a cause célèbre for decades in Israel.

A dignified funeral is of the utmost importance for many Israelis for religious and social reasons.

This is especially true for fallen soldiers: the Israeli military has a code that stipulates that soldiers “will not be left behind”, neither alive nor dead.

Following Israel’s decision to capture Gaza City despite warnings of a humanitarian catastrophe, Hamas has promised that none of the hostages will return to Israel alive.