Israel Flags Major Problem with One of the Bodies Returned by Hamas: It ‘Does Not Match Any of the Hostages’
Hamas recently delivered the bodies of three Israeli hostages who died in captivity, following a promise to return the remains of four hostages taken during the October 7, 2023 attack. However, the fourth body handed over was identified by Israeli officials as not belonging to any of the hostages, but rather to a Palestinian from Gaza. Hamas claimed the fourth body was that of an Israeli soldier killed the previous year, a claim Israel rejected.to date, seven hostages’ bodies have been returned, while Hamas reportedly still holds 28 bodies. Survivors who were held hostage have all been returned to Israel. Hamas has cited the destruction of Gaza City as a reason for not delivering all the bodies at once. Families of the deceased are demanding Hamas fulfill its commitments fully and have called for international pressure on Hamas. Israeli officials noted that previously there was a mistaken body delivery but the correct remains were later returned. Additional returns of bodies are expected as Hamas reportedly has only recently begun earnest efforts to comply with the body return agreement, which also involves demands for Hamas to disarm as part of a peace deal discussion.
After promising to deliver the bodies of four Israeli hostages who died in captivity in Gaza, Hamas on Tuesday delivered the bodies of three hostages and a fourth body that was not any of the hostages taken after the massacre of Oct. 7, 2023.
The bodies of Staff Sgt. Tamir Nimrodi, 18; Eitan Levy, 53; and Uriel Baruch, 35, were returned to Israel along with what Israeli officials said was the body of a Palestinian from Gaza, according to the Times of Israel.
“Following the completion of examinations at the National Institute of Forensic Medicine, the fourth body handed over to Israel by Hamas does not match any of the hostages,” the Israel Defense Forces said on Wednesday, according to NBC.
To date, the bodies of seven hostages have been returned. Hamas was said to be holding the bodies of 28 hostages. All 20 hostages who survived captivity were returned to Israel on Monday.
Under the deal, Hamas is required to return all the bodies of the hostages.
Hamas insisted in a report by Al-Jazeera, the body belonged to an Israel solider killed last year, the Times of Israel reported. Israel has rejected that claim.
Hamas has used the damage inflicted on Gaza City as an excuse not to return all the bodies of the hostages at once.
Rotem Cooper — whose father, Amiram Cooper, is among the hostages who died in Gaza — said Hamas must be forced to deliver what it promised, according to the BBC.
“It’s not over, and it’s going to be a longer battle,” he said.
“It’s clear to us that [Hamas] could have and should have released more, and they’re playing games.”
Cooper called for President Donald Trump and Arab nations “to show Hamas that this is not acceptable.”
An Israeli official said that sending the wrong body could have been a mistake, as happened in February when a body Hamas said was that of slain hostage Shiri Bibas was not one of any hostage. Her body was later returned to Israel, according to the Jerusalem Post.
The Post said another release of the bodies of hostages was scheduled for later Wednesday.
The Post cited an Israeli media report that said Hamas did not take the conditions of the deal seriously at first and has only recently begun serious efforts to recover the bodies of the hostages.
Amid reports that Hamas was executing rivals in Gaza, Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the peace deal requires Hamas to disarm, according to NBC.
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