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The Israeli military has released drone footage that it says shows Hamas operatives staging a fake recovery of the remains of an Israeli hostage previously returned to Israel. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the footage depicts Hamas members simulating the discovery and transfer of a body in Gaza in what officials describe as an attempt to deceive observers.
The remains were identified as belonging to Ofir Tzarfati, whose body was recovered by the IDF in December 2023, two months after his abduction during the October 7 Hamas assault on southern Israel.
In the video, Hamas operatives are seen carrying a body bag from a building to a shallow pit, covering it with dirt, and later excavating it with an excavator. The footage then shows them moving the same body bag and appearing to re-bury it nearby. Representatives of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) are seen arriving as the operatives uncover the bag again, with one individual appearing to take photographs.
Israeli officials say the footage is evidence of Hamas fabricating the circumstances of the body’s recovery. The Red Cross has not yet issued a public statement regarding the video.
