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Violation: Hamas returns Gazan’s body instead of slain hostage

The revelation that the body does not belong to an Israeli hostage marks a serious breach of the ceasefire and hostage deal.

By World Israel News Staff

Forensic testing in Israel has revealed that a body Hamas claimed belonged to an Israeli hostage was actually that of a deceased Gazan — marking a major violation of the ceasefire and hostage deal between the terror group and the Jewish state.

Families of slain hostages expressed outrage Tuesday after Hamas repatriated only four bodies — identified as IDF soldier Daniel Peretz, Yossi Sharabi, Nepali national Bipin Joshi, and Guy Ilouz.

Following threats from Israel that it would close the Rafah crossing with Egypt if Hamas failed to uphold its commitment and return all 24 remaining bodies of deceased hostages, the group announced it was transferring an additional four bodies to the Red Cross.

The bodies arrived in Israel late Tuesday. DNA testing confirmed the identities of three hostages: IDF soldier Tamir Nimrodi — whose fate had been unknown — Eitan Levy and Uriel Baruch.

However, the fourth body did not belong to any Israeli hostage and was most likely that of a Gaza civilian, Israeli authorities said in a statement Wednesday morning.

According to unconfirmed reports, the body was dressed in an IDF uniform, which would indicate intentional deception on Hamas’ end.

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said it “shared in the grief” of the families who received the bodies of their loved ones, but he stopped short of directly condemning Hamas for violating the agreement.

Instead, Netanyahu’s office stated that Hamas is “required to fulfill its obligation” to return all the bodies of deceased hostages and emphasized that the Israeli government “will not give up on a single body.”

In February 2025, the group sent the body of a woman it claimed belonged to Shiri Bibas, who was kidnapped and murdered along with her two children, Ariel and Kfir. Forensic testing revealed the body was not Bibas’ but that of an unidentified Gazan woman. Hours later, Hamas returned Bibas’ body.