Jerusalem, 15 October (H.S.): Israel’s military confirmed on Tuesday the reception of remains belonging to four more hostages from Hamas in Gaza, bringing the total number of deceased hostages repatriated this week to eight .
The transfer is a component of a delicate ceasefire agreement, brokered by United States President Donald Trump, which recently saw the release of the final 20 living hostages and aims to conclude a two-year-long conflict .The remains were transferred to Israeli authorities via the Red Cross for forensic identification.
This follows a similar procedure on Monday, when Hamas returned the remains of four other individuals. Those since identified are Israeli citizens Guy Iluz, 26, Yossi Sharabi, 53, and Daniel Peretz, 22, along with Nepalese agricultural student Bipin Joshi, 23.
Each story highlights the tragedy of the October 7, 2023 attacks. Sharabi was abducted from Kibbutz Beeri, while Peretz, a captain in the Israeli army, was killed on the day of the assault and his body was taken into Gaza .
Iluz, who was at the Nova music festival, was taken alive but later succumbed to his injuries in captivity due to a lack of medical care.
Joshi, an agriculture student from Nepal, has been hailed as a hero. His friend recounted that Joshi caught a grenade thrown into their shelter and threw it out just before it detonated, saving the lives of others. He was reportedly murdered during the initial months of his captivity.The ceasefire agreement also stipulates reciprocal actions, with Israel handing over the bodies of 45 Palestinians to a hospital in Gaza.
The deal, however, remains tense. Former President Trump remarked on social media that the job is NOT DONE, as the remains of 20 more hostages are still held by militants in Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with recently freed hostages and vowed, We are determined to bring everyone back. The returned abductees are reportedly suffering from significant weight loss and other health issues related to their prolonged underground captivity.
As families await closure, the focus remains on the return of all remaining hostages, a critical phase in the ongoing efforts to secure a lasting peace in the region .
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
