Hamas transfers body of terrorist alongside bodies of hostages Tamir Nimrodi, Uriel Baruch, and Eitan Levi

Uriel Baruch, Tamir Nimrodi, who was feared to have been killed, and Eitan Levi are three of the killed hostages whose bodies were returned to Israel for burial last night, it was cleared for publication Wednesday morning. The fourth body brought to the Institute of Forensic Medicine belongs to a Hamas operative.

The IDF spokesperson provided details on the circumstances of their deaths.

Staff Sergeant Tamir Nimrodi, 18 years old at the time of his death, was kidnapped alive by Hamas from the Coordination and Liaison Administration (COGAT) base in the Gaza Division. It is believed he was killed in captivity at the beginning of the war.

Uriel Baruch, 35, was murdered on Oct. 7, and his body was taken to the Gaza Strip from the Mefalsim junction after he escaped the Nova music festival.

Eitan Levi, 53, was also murdered on Oct. 7, and his body was kidnapped to Gaza from the Mefalsim junction.

Tamir Nimrodi’s father announced after two years of uncertainty, “With a broken heart and unbearable pain, we inform you that the body of Tamir, our beloved eldest son, was returned last night from Gaza.”

The Nimrodi family added, “After two agonizing years of uncertainty, filled with hope and the desire for a different ending, we received the devastating notification identifying our beloved Tamir. Tamir was cruelly kidnapped from his base and murdered in Hamas captivity. We will not leave the families of the hostages until the last hostage is returned.”

The Hostages Families Forum said, “Tamir was kidnapped alive from his base and was killed by IDF bombings while in captivity. Today is the Hebrew date of his murder.”

From the Baruch family: “With deep sorrow and great pain, we announce the return of the body of our dear Uriel Baruch, may his memory be blessed, from the Gaza Strip, after nearly two long years of prayers, hope, and faith. The memorial service will be held today, Wednesday, the 15th of Tishrei (Oct. 15), at 6:00 PM, at the ‘Netzach Uriel’ synagogue, as planned in advance.”

Eitan Levi’s family posted on social media: “With profound sorrow and deep pain, we announce the return of the body of our beloved Eitan Levi, may his memory be blessed, from the Gaza Strip, after nearly two long years. Details of the funeral and mourning period will be announced later. We kindly ask to respect the family’s privacy during these days.”

In the transfer that took place on Monday, the killed hostages Guy Illouz, Bipin Joshi, Yossi Sharabi, and Cpt. Daniel Peretz were identified.

According to the agreements that were reached and signed, the terrorist organization Hamas was supposed to return all hostages – both living and deceased – within 72 hours of the agreement’s implementation.

However, even before the 72-hour deadline expired, Hamas claimed it did not know the whereabouts of all the deceased hostages still in the Gaza Strip.

Stories of the Fallen Whose Bodies Were Returned

Uriel Baruch

35 years old, from Givon. He was murdered and kidnapped from the Nova music festival at Kibbutz Re’im. Uriel was married to Racheli and a father of two, aged 8 and 5. About three weeks after the massacre, his family was informed that he had been taken to Gaza. On March 26, 2024, they were notified that he had been murdered on Oct. 7 and his body had been taken to Gaza. Uriel worked in the construction materials field and loved techno music. He had come to the Nova festival with a friend for a night out.

In the morning, when the rocket sirens began, Uriel and his friend Michael tried to escape and reached the Mefalsim junction area. Michael was also murdered that same Saturday. Security forces informed Uriel's family that he was declared dead based on a video recorded around 8:00 AM. His mother, Naomi, described him as

“A child who loved life, loved to rejoice, always surrounded by friends and smiling.”

Tamir Nimrodi

20 years old, kidnapped from the Gaza DCO base near the Erez crossing, where he served as an education officer. Tamir was abducted along with two other soldiers – Ron Sherman and Nick Beiser – who were killed in Hamas captivity, and their bodies were later recovered by the IDF. The abduction of the three was documented in a video released by Hamas on Oct. 7, showing them alive being led by terrorists from the base into Gaza.

Tamir had volunteered to stay on base over the weekend after covering for another soldier. During the attack on the base, he texted his mother. Just before being kidnapped, he managed to write, “Mom, I love you. This is it. It’s over. They’re here.” After his abduction, a note was found in his room saying, “To succeed in helping as many people as possible, to build a close social circle, and not to harm.”

His father told Kan News, “Tamir was an amazing child – very smart, sharp, and witty. He faced many challenges both academically and socially, but near the end of high school he soared in both areas, made many friends, and graduated with honors. He had big dreams – he interviewed for officer training a week before the abduction. He wanted to be an education officer and work in education in the future. He had many values and a warm, loving hug.”

Eitan Levi

53 years old, from Bat Yam. He was kidnapped to Gaza on Oct. 7. Eitan was a warm and loving family man, always caring for those around him. He was known as a responsible and devoted person wherever he went, and everyone spoke of his great kindness. His greatest loves were his only son Shahar and his two dogs. He was considered missing for over 40 days before officially being recognized as a hostage. After 62 days, the IDF informed the family that Eitan was presumed dead in Hamas captivity. He leaves behind a large family: his son Shahar, his fiancée Shir, and others including Aviva, Hen, Sunny, Reef, and River.

Eitan was a taxi driver. He was giving a female friend a ride from central Israel to Kibbutz Be’eri when the terrorists took over the area. His son Shahar told Kan News: “He was disabled. He hadn’t worked regularly for two years after a motorcycle accident. He drove a friend from Rishon LeZion to Be’eri, and just as he dropped her off at the gate, the kibbutz was taken over by terrorists. When he was heading toward Ashkelon, terrorists landed on his car. His sister called me into a video chat because there were rockets that day. He usually didn’t call.”

Mediators Pressuring Hamas to Release More Fallen Hostages

According to a Kan News report, sources say that Hamas still holds more bodies of hostages who could be returned immediately. As a result, mediators are increasing pressure on Hamas to bring about another phase of returning fallen hostages soon, following the one carried out last night.

It was also reported that National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir sent a message to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in light of Hamas violations: “Stop all humanitarian aid to Gaza until the fallen are returned.”

However, both Minister Ben Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich did not threaten to leave the government. A source close to Netanyahu stated, “A complete halt to aid at this point is not on the table.”

Israel has held discussions about imposing sanctions on Hamas, including closing the Rafah crossing and reducing humanitarian aid to Gaza. With the recent hostage return, it was decided not to implement these sanctions for now.

Sources familiar with the matter say that Hamas has not shown the necessary willingness regarding the return of fallen hostages. Therefore, heavy pressure is being applied on the mediators not to settle for the latest phase alone, and to intensify field operations to locate more of the deceased.

According to an Israeli source, Israel has provided information about the whereabouts of some of the hostages to a mechanism established for this mission.