Israel identifies the bodies of 3 hostages: Uriel Baruch, Eitan Levi, Tamir Nimrodi

The families of deceased hostages Uriel Baruch, Tamir Nimrodi, and Eitan Levi were told this Wednesday morning that the bodies of their loved ones had been identified at the Institute of Forensic Medicine, after they were returned to Israel Tuesday night. Meanwhile, Israel is investigating whether the fourth body that was brought to Israel does in fact belong to a hostage, as concerns arise over whether that is the case.

Hamas handed back the remaining 20 living and first four deceased hostages on Monday in exchange for almost 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, leaving no more living hostages in Gaza. 

U.S. President Donald Trump's ceasefire plan, which both Israel and Hamas initially accepted, detailed the transfer of all 48 hostages, living and deceased, would be completed by noon on Monday. While all the living hostages were returned, pressure is growing on Hamas and the Israeli government over reaching the exchange of the remains of 20 deceased hostages, as fears arise over the ceasefire falling apart before its second phase begins.

"The Hamas terrorist organization is required to fulfill its commitments to the mediators and return them within the framework of implementing the agreement. We will not compromise on this and will spare no effort until we return all of the fallen hostages, down to the last one," Israeli Prime Minister Netayahu's office said in a statement Wednesday morning. 

Tamir Nimrodi, defined during the war as a hostage whose life was in grave danger, was claimed by the Hostage Families Forum to have been killed by IDF bombings in captivity. Nimrodi was an IDF soldier who served in the Gaza Coordination and Liaison Directorate, Gaza DCO, along with the late Ron Sherman and the late Nick Beiser, who were killed in the Gaza Strip as a result of an IDF attack and whose bodies were recovered and returned to Israel. That Shabbat, Nimrodi had volunteered to replace a friend and was kidnapped a month before his birthday.

After 172 days without a sign of life, Uriel Baruch's family learned that he had been murdered on October 7 and kidnapped as a hostage to the Gaza Strip. He left behind his wife Racheli, two children, his parents, and three siblings.

Eitan Levy was driving a family friend from central Israel to Kibbutz Be'eri. As he was returning, the rocket attack began. Levy called his sister and told her about the events. While driving, while his sister was on the phone, terrorists took control of his car. He managed to utter "Oh my God," and immediately afterward, they heard only shouts of "Allahu Akbar" and bursts of gunfire. 

At first, he was declared missing, and two weeks later his family was informed that he had been kidnapped after his phone was located in Gaza. In December, after intelligence information was received following photos and videos, the family was informed that Levy had been murdered and his body was being held in Gaza.