The Israeli military says one of the four bodies handed over by Hamas on Tuesday night does not match any of the hostages on record, following examinations at the National Institute of Forensic Medicine.
In a brief statement, the army said Hamas must make all necessary efforts to return the deceased hostages, adding that identification tests confirmed only three of the four bodies belonged to Israelis abducted during the October 7, 2023, attacks.
The bodies confirmed as hostages are:
Uriel Baruch (35): Abducted from the Nova music festival. The father of two was confirmed killed on October 7, 2023, and his body taken to Gaza. His family was officially notified by the Israeli military in March 2024.
Tamir Nimrodi (20): Served as an education officer at the Erez Crossing. His mother last saw him in a video of his abduction posted online. His remains were formally identified after being handed over, with his family saying he was murdered in Hamas captivity.
Eitan Levi (53): A taxi driver from Bat Yam. He was killed by Hamas gunmen near the Gaza perimeter while driving a friend to Be’eri. His body was later taken into Gaza, where videos showed it being desecrated.
Hamas handed over the bodies under the terms of the ongoing ceasefire and hostage-exchange deal. Israeli officials say efforts continue to recover the remains of all those still missing from the October 7 attack.
