Israel announces 'received coffin of a fallen hostage' from Hamas

On Tuesday (Nov 25), Hamas handed over the mortal remains of one of the three remaining deceased hostages to Israel. The body has been brought to a forensic institute for identification, said Israel. The families of Israeli nationals Dror Or and Ran Gvili are yet to receive their mortal remains; one of the three hostages is a Thai national named Sudthisak Rinthalak. In a statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office read, “Israel has received, via the Red Cross, the coffin of a fallen hostage, which was handed over to an IDF and ISA force inside the Gaza Strip. From there, it will be transferred to Israel, where it will be received in a military ceremony with the participation of an IDF Rabbi.”

Shira, the sister of Gvili, one of the deceased hostages, was quoted by news agency AFP, saying "I miss my brother terribly and want him to come back. We are exhausted. The constant fear that it simply won't happen is tiring."

In his post, PM Netanyahu also mentioned, “Israel views with utmost seriousness the delay in their immediate transfer to its hands. This constitutes an additional violation of the agreement. Israel demands the immediate return of the three deceased hostages still held in the Gaza Strip.” The PM's office also urged the public to 'respect the families' privacy and to refrain from spreading rumours.' People were also cautioned against indulging in unofficial and unverified information. Furthermore, assuring the families of the fallen hostages have been updated. “The effort to return our hostages is ongoing and will not cease until the last hostage is returned,” the statement highlighted.

On October 2023, 251 people were held hostage by Hamas.