IDF releases full video of Hamas staging fake hostage remains recovery

The IDF publishes the full, 15-minute uncut drone video showing Hamas terror operatives staging the recovery of the remains of a hostage it returned to Israel last night, in front of the Red Cross.

The remains were identified as belonging to Ofir Tzarfati, whose body was recovered by the IDF in the Gaza Strip in December 2023, less than two months after his abduction during the Hamas onslaught.

“Contrary to Hamas’s claims of difficulties locating the bodies of the deceased hostages, yesterday Hamas operatives were documented removing body remains from a structure that had been prepared in advance and burying them nearby,” the IDF says.

“Shortly thereafter, the Hamas terror organization summoned representatives of the Red Cross and staged a false display of discovering a deceased hostage’s body,” it says.

The military says the footage “clearly shows that the Hamas terror organization is attempting to create a false impression of efforts to locate the bodies, while in fact holding deceased hostages whose remains it refuses to release as required by the agreement.”

“This is accompanied by false claims of shortages in engineering equipment, equipment that is clearly unnecessary for the transfer of remains, and therefore these claims do not constitute an obstacle to the return of the remaining deceased hostages,” the IDF adds.

Hamas operatives are seen staging the recovery of the remains of a hostage in Gaza City, October 27, 2025. (Israel Defense Forces)