The military confirmed that the remains were be identified at a forensics facility
October 14, 2025 08:34
The Israel Defence Forces and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) announced on Monday that they had brought the coffins of four deceased hostages into Israel from Gaza.
The bodies were identified by forensic experts, and their families have been notified, the military said.
The IDF says its representatives notified the families of Guy Illouz, 26, Nepal national Bipin Joshi, 23, and two other hostages whose names will be published later, that their bodies were returned.
Hamas yesterday said it had also returned the bodies of Yossi Sharabi and IDF officer Cpt. Daniel Perez.
Illouz was reportedly wounded and kidnapped alive by Hamas terrorists near the Tel Gama area on the Gaza border, after fleeing the Nova party. He died of his wounds during his captivity in Gaza after not receiving medical treatment, the IDF said.
Joshi, a Nepali agricultural student whose death had not been formally confirmed by Israel until now, was abducted from a bomb shelter at Kibbutz Alumim.
“Four coffins of deceased hostages, escorted by IDF and ISA forces, crossed the border into the State of Israel a short while ago and are on their way to the National Institute for Forensic Medicine, where identification procedures will be carried out,” the security services stated this morning. “IDF representatives are accompanying the families.”
Before the crossing was completed, the IDF held a “military protocol” in Gaza in memory of the dead.
“During the protocol, IDF soldiers will drape the hostages’ coffins with Israeli flags, salute them and recite a chapter from the book of Psalms,” the agency stated.
Hamas has misidentified remains that it has handed over in past ceasefire deals. If the terrorist group has handed over the correct bodies, 24 deceased hostages now remain in Gaza.
Earlier on Monday, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum stated that Hamas’s failure to return all of the deceased was a “blatant breach” of the ceasefire agreement.
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