Joshua Loitu Mollel, whose body was returned by Hamas: ‘A big smile that never left his face’

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum pays tribute to Joshua Loitu Mollel, whose body was returned to Israel by Hamas last night.

The forum says the 21-year-old’s family said he was polite, kind, very hardworking, and had a big smile that never left his face.

“The families of the hostages and the returned embrace the family of Joshua Loitu Mollel at this difficult time, following the return of their beloved Joshua yesterday so he may be laid to rest,” the forum says in a statement.

“Amid their grief and the knowledge that their hearts will never fully heal, Joshua’s return offers some comfort to a family that has endured unbearable uncertainty for over two years,” the forum says. “We will not rest until every hostage comes home.”

Mollel arrived in Israel as an agricultural intern at Kibbutz Nahal Oz just 19 days before October 7, 2023.

When the Hamas-led attack began, Mollel was working in the kibbutz’s barn, where he was murdered and his body taken to Gaza.

He is survived by his parents and four siblings.