Two Deceased Hostages Returned, One Identified

Israeli authorities identified one of two bodies returned by Hamas as 54-year-old Ronen Tommy Engel, who was killed on Oct. 7, 2023 while defending his family; his wife and daughters were among those abducted and some were later released. The coffins were transferred via the International Committee of the Red Cross and will undergo a formal military reception and forensic identification before families are notified, the Prime Minister’s Office and the IDF said. Israeli media reported the second returned body has also been identified but has not been publicly named, leaving roughly 16–18 of the original hostages’ remains still believed to be in Gaza. Hamas says many bodies are buried under rubble or in destroyed tunnels and has urged more aid and equipment to recover them, while Israel and hostage-support groups press for the return of all remains. The handovers are part of the wider ceasefire deal that included releases of living hostages and thousands of Palestinian prisoners, but retrieval and identification efforts are being hampered by widespread destruction, unexploded ordnance and disputed locations as forensic teams and the Red Cross carry out handover procedures and families continue to demand full accounting.