Israel has confirmed the identities of four of its citizens whose bodies were returned by Hamas on Monday, following the recent ceasefire agreement. The identified hostages are Guy Illouz, 26; Bipin Joshi, 23, a Nepalese national; Yossi Sharabi, 53; and Daniel Peretz, 22, an Israeli-South African dual national.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Tuesday morning that forensic testing had been completed, allowing them to inform the families of their loved ones. Guy Illouz, a sound technician, was abducted alive from the Nova music festival on October 7th, 2023. He reportedly died in captivity due to a lack of proper medical care.
Bipin Joshi, an agriculture student from Nepal, was killed in captivity. He had previously shown immense bravery by deflecting a grenade in a shelter, saving other foreign students. Yossi Sharabi was kidnapped from his home along with his brother, Eli, and their family has been informed of his death. Daniel Peretz, an IDF tank captain, was killed in an attack on his vehicle near Nahal Oz on October 7th, with his body subsequently taken to Gaza.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum expressed their condolences, stating that the return of the bodies offers some comfort to families who had endured prolonged uncertainty. However, they reiterated their commitment to bringing home all remaining hostages.
The situation has led to heightened tensions, with Israeli officials reportedly considering restricting aid into Gaza and delaying the reopening of the Rafah border crossing due to Hamas’s failure to return the bodies of all deceased hostages as agreed. Hamas cited difficulties in locating all the bodies, as some may be trapped under rubble, and requested heavy machinery for recovery efforts. International mediators are working to resolve the issue, with the Red Cross emphasizing the need for cooperation.