From the Liveblog of
Thursday, December 4, 2025
Father of slain Tanzanian hostage thanks Israel, IDF for efforts to bring him home
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleLazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
Loitu Mollel, the father of slain Tanzanian hostage Joshua Loitu Mollel, writes to President Isaac Herzog thanking him for a recent letter of sympathy and expressing gratitude for the IDF’s efforts to bring his son’s body back from Gaza last month.
“Joshua had travelled to Israel with the purpose of learning, gaining experience, and growing in the field of agriculture,” writes the elder Mollel in a letter seen by The Times of Israel. “Unfortunately, he fell into the hands of Hamas and was killed in a most tragic and inhuman manner.”
“We are deeply thankful to everyone who contributed in any way to locating Joshua’s body and ensuring his return home for a proper burial,” he continues. “We also extend our heartfelt appreciation to the Israel Defense Forces for their tireless efforts to bring Joshua’s remains back so that he could be accorded his final respect. In addition, we are grateful to the Hostages and Missing Families Forum for their unwavering campaign, ‘BRING THEM HOME NOW.’”
“May Almighty God Bless Israel,” he concludes.
Mollel, 21, an agricultural intern at Kibbutz Nahal Oz near the border with Gaza, was seized alive, then murdered by Hamas terrorists on the morning of October 7, 2023, and his body was taken to Gaza.
The Times of Israel Community.