Six slain hostages now remain in Gaza

Deceased hostage returned by Hamas identified as Tanzanian national Joshua Loitu Mollel

Mollel, 21, was at Kibbutz Nahal Oz as an agricultural intern on Oct. 7; Foreign Ministry says he was adopted into Israelis’ hearts: ‘We feel like one of our own is back’

Remains returned from Gaza to Israel overnight were identified as those of Tanzanian national Joshua Loitu Mollel, Israeli authorities said Thursday.

Military and Foreign Ministry representatives notified Mollel’s family that his body was returned to Israel after forensic experts completed the identification.

Mollel, 21, an agricultural intern at Kibbutz Nahal Oz near the border with Gaza, was seized alive, then murdered by Hamas terrorists on the morning of October 7, 2023, and his body was taken to Gaza.

He is survived by his parents and four siblings.

The bodies of six slain hostages now remain held in the Strip — five Israelis and one foreign national: Meny Godard, Lt. Hadar Goldin, Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, Dror Or, Lior Rudaeff, and Sudthisak Rinthalak.

“The Israeli government shares in the deep sorrow of the Mollel family and all the families of the fallen hostages,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.

The PMO said Israel is “determined, committed, and working tirelessly” to bring back the remaining six slain hostages for burial, adding that Hamas is “required to fulfill its commitments to the mediators and return them as part of the implementation of the agreement.”

“Heartbroken but relieved Joshua Loitu Mollel has been returned to Israel after 761 days in Hamas captivity,” the Foreign Ministry wrote in a post to X. “While Joshua wasn’t an Israeli citizen, over the past 2 years we Israelis adopted him into our hearts. While he will still travel home to his family in Tanzania, we feel like one of our own is back.”

“Kind, polite and hardworking, he embodied hope and curiosity on his very first trip abroad,” the ministry wrote.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum paid tribute to Mollel, citing the 21-year-old’s family as saying he had a big smile that never left his face.

“The families of the hostages and the returned embrace the family of Joshua Loitu Mollel at this difficult time, following the return of their beloved Joshua yesterday so he may be laid to rest,” the Forum said in a statement.

“Amid their grief and the knowledge that their hearts will never fully heal, Joshua’s return offers some comfort to a family that has endured unbearable uncertainty for over two years,” the Forum said. “We will not rest until every hostage comes home.”

Kibbutz Nahal Oz said in a statement that it was “in pain and shares the deep sorrow of the family of Joshua Loitu Mollel.”

Hamas handed over the remains to the Red Cross on Wednesday night, which then transferred them to Israeli soldiers in Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces inspected the casket before draping it in an Israeli flag and holding a short ceremony led by a military rabbi.

After leaving the Strip, the body was escorted by police to the Abu Kabir forensic institute in Tel Aviv for identification. Hamas did not provide the identity of the hostage it handed over.

Mollel was the 22nd deceased hostage handed over by Hamas since a ceasefire took effect on October 10, halting the war that began when the Palestinian terror group led a devastating invasion of southern Israel that killed 1,200 people and during which terrorists abducted 251 people as hostages to Gaza.

At the start of the truce, Hamas still held 48 hostages in Gaza — 20 alive and 28 deceased. Under the terms of the ceasefire, it was obligated to return all of them.

The terrorists have since released all surviving captives, but Israel accuses Hamas of dragging its feet over the return of the remaining deceased hostages.

The 22 repatriated bodies belong to 19 Israelis, one Thai national, one Nepali, and the Tanzanian Mollel.

Arrived at Kibbutz Nahal Oz 19 days before Hamas invaded

Mollel arrived in Israel as an agricultural intern at Kibbutz Nahal Oz just 19 days before October 7, 2023. It was his first time traveling out of Tanzania. He was excited to learn more about farming, according to AP, and wanted to open his own agricultural business.

When the Hamas-led attack began, Mollel was working in the kibbutz’s barn. He was seized alive, but later murdered, and his body was taken to Gaza.

On December 13, 2023, Israeli authorities notified Mollel’s father, Loitu, who arrived in Israel that day, that his son had been confirmed to be dead, Kan news reported. Loitu did not initially transmit to the rest of the family that Mollel was assessed to be dead, as there was no body, nor did he have any record of what happened, according to the report.

However, days later, video clips from October 7 showing Mollel were circulated on social media. In one clip, Mollel, who appeared bloodied but on his feet, was seen being manhandled by a gang of armed terrorists who were shouting at him. Another clip, apparently from later the same day, showed gunmen repeatedly firing into his prone body.

According to Kan, Mollel’s wider family first learned of his death from those clips.

Thirty-six agriculture interns from Tanzania were living in Israel near Gaza at the time of the attack, according to the human rights organization Hotline for Refugees and Migrants. The rest were accounted for.