NAIROBI, Kenya Feb 22 – Israel’s Ambassador to Kenya, Michael Lotem, has issued a stark warning on the global threat of terrorism, urging world leaders to unite in the fight against extremist violence.Speaking exclusively to Capital FM at the Israeli Embassy in Nairobi, Lotem underscored the need for a collective approach, warning that no country is immune to the threat.“Terrorism is not confined to one region. What happened on October 7 should be a wake-up call to all leaders who have terror inside or near their borders. Hamas did not come to Israel on F-35 fighter jets; they came on boda bodas and pickup trucks,” he said.His remarks referenced the devastating October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, in which over 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage. The unprecedented cross-border assault prompted Israel to launch a sustained military operation to dismantle Hamas in Gaza.Hamas Returns Hostage Bodies, But Questions RemainLotem’s comments on Friday came a day after Hamas returned four bodies of hostages, including that of 84-year-old peace activist Oded Lifschitz. However, the process was marred by a shocking mix-up when Hamas initially handed over the remains of an unidentified woman instead of Shiri Bibas, a mother captured with her two young sons.Israel demanded the correct body, forcing Hamas to acknowledge the error and deliver the right remains on Friday.“This is a violation,” Lotem asserted. “By bringing the wrong body, Hamas showed utter disregard for basic human decency. The body of Shiri Bibas must be returned, dead or alive.”The Bibas family—Shiri and her sons Ariel and Kfir—were among those abducted during the attack. While Hamas claims that they were killed in an Israeli airstrike, Israel insists it has evidence they were executed shortly after being taken hostage.The latest handover occurred as part of an ongoing ceasefire negotiation, which saw Hamas release six living hostages in exchange for more than 600 Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.The Forgotten Tanzanian HostageBeyond Israeli captives, Lotem also raised concerns over the fate of Tanzanian student Joshua Loitu Mollel, whose body remains in Gaza. His colleague, Clemence Felix Mtenga, was repatriated to Tanzania for burial, but there has been no official word on Mollel’s remains.The ambassador criticized the African Union (AU) for failing to demand the return of Mollel’s body.“I haven’t seen the African Union issue a single statement or call for information on Joshua’s whereabouts. It is very unfortunate that this is the AU’s attitude toward its own people,” he lamented.Lotem urged leaders across the world, including Africa to break their silence, emphasizing that the brutality of terrorism should never be normalized.“In Africa, you experience a lot of brutality, and sometimes people get used to it. But don’t get used to it. This should be a wake-up call for humanity.”‘No Carrot, Only the Stick’: Lotem on U.S. Middle East PolicyThe ambassador praised U.S. President Donald Trump’s hardline approach to dealing with the Middle East conflict, arguing that terrorism should be met with force, not diplomacy.“There is no carrot approach when dealing with murderers of babies, elderly people, and civilians,” Lotem stated. “Just yesterday (Thursday), three Israeli buses exploded in the West Bank. By a miracle, no one was injured.”His remarks came amid heightened tensions, as U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss efforts to dismantle Hamas, prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, and stabilize the region.Netanyahu also condemned what he called “lawfare” by the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued arrest warrants against him and a former Israeli defense minister over alleged war crimes in Gaza. He thanked the U.S. for imposing sanctions on the ICC in retaliation.‘Our Priority: Bring Them Home’As the war drags on, Lotem reiterated that Israel’s primary goal is securing the return of all hostages—both living and deceased.“Our top priority is to bring back our people—Israeli and non-Israeli—dead or alive,” he said.