LIVE: Israel repatriates slain Tanzanian hostage after remains recovered from Gaza

Key Concepts

• Joshua Luito M: A 21-year-old Tanzanian student murdered by Hamas on October 7, 2023, while participating in an agricultural internship program in Israel.
• Mashav (Israel's Agency for International Development Cooperation): An agency within the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs that runs agricultural internship programs for students from developing countries.
• Agro Studies: An organization that facilitates the agricultural internship program.
• Kibbutz Nachalos: The dairy farm in southern Israel where Joshua was interning and was murdered.
• October 7, 2023: The date of the Hamas attack on Israel, during which Joshua was killed and his body abducted.
• Hostages/Kidnapped People: Individuals taken by Hamas during the October 7th attack.
• Dignified Burial: The right to a proper funeral and resting place for the deceased.
• Judeo-Christian Values: Ethical and moral principles shared by Judaism and Christianity, emphasizing human dignity and inherent rights.
• Barbarity/Atrocities/War Crimes: Acts of extreme cruelty and violence, particularly in the context of conflict.
• The Stranger (Ger): A concept in Jewish law emphasizing the moral obligation to treat foreigners with empathy and consideration.
• Sustainable Development: Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Memorial Event for Joshua Luito M

This transcript details a memorial event held in Israel to honor Joshua Luito M, a 21-year-old Tanzanian student who was murdered by Hamas on October 7, 2023. The event marks the return of his body to Israel after 761 days of being held in Gaza, enabling his final journey home to Tanzania for a dignified burial.

Joshua's Background and Program

Joshua arrived in Israel on September 19, 2023, as part of the Mashav agricultural internship program. This program, managed by Mashav and facilitated by Agro Studies, brings thousands of students from developing countries to Israel annually for 11-month internships. The program aims to provide students with practical experience in modern agricultural techniques, enabling them to return to their home countries and contribute to food security and agricultural development. Joshua was interning at a dairy farm in Kibbutz Nachalos.

The October 7th Attack and its Aftermath

Less than three weeks after his arrival, on October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists attacked Israel. Joshua was brutally murdered at the dairy farm, and his body was abducted into Gaza. The event highlights the barbarity of the attack, emphasizing that Joshua, a non-Israeli and non-Jewish student, was targeted and killed simply for being present in Israel. His body was held for 761 days, denying his family the basic dignity of a burial and causing immense suffering and uncertainty.

Efforts to Bring Joshua Home

Speakers at the event emphasized Israel's commitment to bringing all kidnapped individuals home, including Joshua. The Israeli government and various agencies, including the Prime Minister's Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the IDF, worked tirelessly to locate and secure the return of hostages, both living and deceased. The event acknowledges the heavy price paid for Joshua's return and the ongoing efforts to bring back the three remaining hostages.

Tributes and Condolences

Numerous speakers, including the Deputy Foreign Minister of Israel, the Ambassador of Tanzania to Israel, and representatives from Mashav and Agro Studies, delivered heartfelt tributes to Joshua. They remembered him as a vibrant, kind-hearted, humble, and hardworking young man with dreams of improving agriculture in his country. His father, Luito M, is commended for his strength and resilience in traveling to Israel to visit the kibbutz where his son lived and died.

Notable Statements:

• Deputy Foreign Minister Sharenna Skil: "This man wasn't Jewish. This man wasn't Israeli. This man was a human being that happened to be working in Israel on October 7th. The jihadist murdered him anyway. That is the level of barbarity we are talking about."
• Ambassador Alex Gabriel Kalua: "His dream was cut short by this by his brutal killing by Hammers that fateful day. Indeed, his loss is devastating and deeply felt not only to the family but also to the government and the peoples of Tanzania."
• Mr. Josh Lawson (Hostages and Missing Persons at the Israeli Prime Minister's Office): "The Torah's insistence, 36 reminders, tells us this is perhaps the most important moral obligation in all of Judaism and maybe in all religions. We are commanded to remember our own painful past, to recall the experience of being strangers, and to treat the foreigner, the weak, and the unprotected as we would wish others to treat us."
• Mr. Nachline (Deputy Director General and Head of Mashav): "Mashav is considering to start a project in the university in his honor. The university where he studied to promote sustainable development and modern agriculture will be working with the Tanzanian government in this regard."

Shared Humanity and Friendship

The event underscored the shared humanity and the deep connection forged between Israel and Tanzania through this tragedy. Speakers highlighted that Joshua's fate was treated as an Israeli tragedy, not just a Tanzanian one, reflecting a commitment to solidarity. The program itself represents a bridge-building initiative, and Joshua and another Tanzanian student, Clemens Felix Matenga (also murdered on October 7th), embodied this spirit of cooperation and knowledge exchange.

Honoring Joshua's Legacy

Speakers expressed a commitment to honoring Joshua's memory by continuing to build ties of friendship and knowledge, standing against terror, and promoting sustainable development. Mashav is considering establishing a project in Joshua's honor at his university to promote sustainable development and modern agriculture. The event concluded with prayers and the laying of memorial wreaths, symbolizing remembrance and respect.

Conclusion

The memorial event for Joshua Luito M served as a solemn occasion to mourn his tragic loss, honor his life and aspirations, and acknowledge the enduring efforts to bring closure to his family and to all those affected by the October 7th attacks. It highlighted the shared values of humanity, dignity, and the pursuit of a better future, even in the face of unimaginable cruelty. The return of his body signifies a step towards healing and a dignified farewell, while his memory will continue to inspire efforts to promote peace and cooperation.