Israel Identifies Repatriated Remains of Tanzanian Hostage Joshua Mollel
The identification follows a Red Cross–mediated handover under the Oct. 10 ceasefire.
Overview
- Israeli officials confirmed that the remains returned overnight were those of 21-year-old agricultural intern Joshua Loitu Mollel, who was abducted from Kibbutz Nahal Oz on Oct. 7, 2023.
- Hamas transferred the body to the Red Cross, which handed it to IDF personnel for a brief military ceremony before forensic identification at the Abu Kabir institute in Tel Aviv.
- Israeli authorities said Mollel’s return is the 22nd hostage body repatriated since the ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10.
- The Prime Minister’s Office and Foreign Ministry expressed condolences and said Israel is working to recover all remaining bodies, with officials stating six hostage remains are still in Gaza.
- Mollel arrived in Israel in September 2023 for a Foreign Ministry agricultural training program, and officials said his remains will be sent home to his family in Tanzania.