Israel says Hamas returned body of dead Tanzanian hostage

Joshua Mollel, a 21-year-old agriculture student, was killed at Kibbutz Nir Oz during the Hamas-led 7 October 2023 attack on Israel.

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The Israeli prime minister's office said that, following the completion of forensic tests at the National Centre of Forensic Medicine, the foreign ministry had informed the 21-year-old student's family.

Mollel was undertaking an agricultural internship in southern Israel when Hamas-led gunmen attacked on 7 October 2023. He was killed at Kibbutz Nahal Oz and his body was then taken by fighters.

His return means six deceased hostages - five Israelis and one Thai - are still in Gaza.

"The government of Israel shares in the deep sorrow of the Mollel family and all the families of the fallen hostages," the Israeli prime minister's office said in a statement on Thursday.