(photo credit: GETTY IMAGES, Hostages and Missing Families Forum)
The remains of deceased hostages Uriel Baruch, Staff- Sergeant Tamir Nimrodi, and Eitan Levi were identified at the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute early on Wednesday morning, Israeli media reported.
It has been confirmed that the remains of the fourth body that were returned on Tuesday night do not belong to a hostage, according to forensic examination it has been confirmed that it was the remains of a Palestinian.
This is not the first time Hamas has returned “hostage” remains that were later determined to be the remains of someone else. In February of this year, the IDF confirmed that the remains the terror group returned, which it claimed belonged to Shiri Bibas, did not match any of the hostages.
Uriel Baruch, who was initially kidnapped from the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023, leaves behind his wife and two children, as well as his parents and siblings.
The Baruch family shared in their statement, “Dear family and friends, it is with great sorrow and deep pain that we announce the return of the body of our beloved Uriel Baruch, may his memory be a blessing, from the Gaza Strip, after nearly two long years of prayers, hope, and faith.”
The memorial service will be held today, Wednesday, October 15, at 18:00, at the ‘Nitzach Uriel’ synagogue, as planned. Additional details regarding the burial ceremony and the reception will be provided later. May his memory be a blessing.”
The families of the hostages and the released extended their condolences to Uriel Baruch’s family following his return to Israel for a proper burial. “Alongside the grief and the understanding that their hearts will never be whole again, Uriel’s return brings some measure of solace to a family that has lived in unbearable uncertainty and doubt for over two years. We will not rest until all 20 hostages are brought home.”
Staff- Sergeant Tamir Nimrodi, was abducted alive by Hamas from his base and was likely killed early in the war. Tamir was 18 years old at the time of his death according to the IDF. Final conclusions on his death will be made after further examination.
Nimrodi was taken barefoot, in his pyjamas, and without his glasses alongside Ron Sherman and Nik Baizer. Both Baizer and Sherman were mistakenly killed during an IDF strike.
He was serving as an education NCO at the Coordination and Liaison Administration on the Gaza border. He had completed ten months of service and was set to join officer training shortly before his kidnapping. A caring and social person, Tamir volunteered to cover Shabbat duty on October 7.
After his kidnapping, a note was found in his room on which he had written: “I want to help as many people as possible, expand social circles, and never hurt anyone.”
Tamir was kidnapped alive and killed by IDF bombings while in captivity. He is survived by his parents, Herut and Alon, and siblings, Amit and Mika.
“After two years of agonizing uncertainty, filled with hope and a desire for a different outcome, we received the heartbreaking news of our beloved Tamir’s identification. Tamir was brutally kidnapped from his base and murdered while in Hamas captivity. Tamir was returned to Israel yesterday for his final rest. We are in moments of deep pain and reflection, but we will not abandon the families of the remaining hostages until the last one is brought home,” Tamir’s family said.
The families of the hostages and the released expressed their sorrow upon hearing of Tamir Nimrodi’s tragic death. His return ended 740 days of uncertainty and pain. The families stand with the Nimrodi family during this difficult time and will continue to support them.
Eitan Levi, 53, was abducted from the Mefalsim Junction on October 7, 2023, and his body was taken to Gaza. His death was confirmed on December 8, 2023. He leaves behind a son and sister.
The family of Eitan Levi said, “With great sorrow and deep pain, we announce the return of our beloved Eitan Levi, may he rest in peace, from the Gaza Strip after nearly two long years. Details of the funeral and the mourning period will be provided later. We kindly ask for respect for the family’s privacy during this time.”
The Red Cross collected the remains of four bodies
The Red Cross collected the four bodies earlier on Tuesday from a private space in Gaza City, the IDF confirmed, following reports that Hamas terrorists would release four more bodies at 10 p.m.
The bodies were transferred to the National Institute for Forensic Medicine in Abu Kabir, where identification procedures will be carried out, the military added. Israel Police issued a statement at approximately 1:15 a.m. Wednesday morning, confirming that the bodies arrived at the institute.
An Israeli official told The Jerusalem Post that four more bodies are expected to be returned on Wednesday night.The reports come after Israel announced a reduction in the amount of humanitarian aid and the closure of the Rafah crossing as a punitive measure for Hamas failing to return the bodies of killed hostages.
Hamas only returned four hostage bodies on Monday because the terror group did not take the Gaza ceasefire condition seriously, an Israeli official told N12 the same day. It is only in recent hours that Israel reportedly saw Hamas attempt to locate the hostages.
As reported by The Jerusalem Post