JERUSALEM — The Israeli military confirmed Tuesday that the bodies of four hostages returned by Hamas have been identified, including that of a Nepalese student who was abducted during the October 7, 2023, attacks.
Among the dead are Guy Iluz, a 26-year-old Israeli sound technician, and Bipin Joshi, a 22-year-old agriculture student from Nepal. The names of the other two victims were withheld at their families’ request.
Iluz had been attending the Nova music festival when Hamas-led gunmen stormed the grounds. He reportedly fled in a jeep before hiding in a tree, making one final call to his parents before being captured and taken into Gaza. According to the military, Iluz was wounded and abducted alive but later died from untreated injuries in captivity. His death was officially announced in December 2023.
Joshi was part of a group of Nepalese students working at Kibbutz Alumim, one of the sites targeted in the assault. A survivor of the group, Himanchal Kattel, said Joshi had caught and thrown away a grenade hurled by militants, saving his life. Israeli authorities believe Joshi was murdered in captivity during the first months of the war.
“The return of Guy and Bipin brings a measure of comfort to families who have endured unbearable uncertainty for more than two years,” said the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. “We will not rest until every hostage is brought home.”
Hamas handed over the four bodies Monday following the release of 20 surviving captives under a U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement led by President Donald Trump. Militants are still believed to be holding the remains of 24 more hostages, which are expected to be returned under the terms of the truce.
