Family confirmed the death of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American hostage in Gaza, hours after Israel’s army said it had discovered a number of bodies there during combat and its military was working on removing and identifying them.

The Israeli military (IDF) asked the public to refrain from speculation about the identities of the dead. The US president, Joe Biden, said his office was in contact with the Israelis and confirmed that they had discovered bodies in Gaza but he was not at liberty to give identities.

The family issued a statement early on Sunday. “With broken hearts, the Goldberg-Polin family is devastated to announce the death of their beloved son and brother, Hersh,” it said. “The family thanks you all for your love and support and asks for privacy at this time.”

Goldberg-Polin was one of the best-known hostages as his parents had met with world leaders and pressed relentlessly for their help. Last month, they addressed the Democratic convention, where the crowd chanted: “Bring them home.”

At least 40,691 Palestinians have been killed and 94,060 injured in Israel’s military offensive in the Gaza Strip since 7 October, the Palestinian territory’s health ministry said in a statement on Saturday. The war was triggered when the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas attacked Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking about 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

On Saturday, clashes broke out between Israeli troops and Palestinian fighters in the occupied West Bank as Israel pushed ahead with a military operation in the flashpoint city of Jenin. Hundreds of Israeli troops have been carrying out raids since Wednesday in one of their largest actions in the West Bank in months.

Biden, speaking to reporters in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, said he was “still optimistic” about a ceasefire. “I think we’re on the verge of having an agreement,” he said. “It’s time this war ended.”

“People are continuing to meet … We think we can close the deal, they’ve all said they agree on the principles.”

With Reuters and the Associated Press