Israel receives two more bodies of deceased hostages from Hamas

Israel has received two bodies from Hamas, believed to be those of Israeli hostages who died in captivity, as part of the ongoing US-brokered ceasefire and hostage exchange agreement.

The Israeli military confirmed that the remains were handed over in Gaza by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and later transported across the border under military escort for formal identification in Tel Aviv.

If confirmed, this brings the total number of deceased Israeli hostages returned by Hamas to 15 out of 28 listed under the first phase of the truce deal. All 20 living hostages included in the agreement were released earlier this month.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) urged the public to “act with sensitivity and await official confirmation,” adding that families of the hostages would be the first to receive identification updates.

Hamas has previously acknowledged difficulties in locating the remains of some captives, citing the extensive destruction caused by Israeli airstrikes across Gaza.

The group said one Palestinian body was mistakenly included in an earlier transfer due to the chaotic conditions.

Under the ceasefire terms, Israel has released 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,718 detainees from Gaza, along with the repatriation of 15 Palestinian bodies for every deceased Israeli hostage.

The fragile truce has led to a limited withdrawal of Israeli forces and increased humanitarian access into Gaza.

However, tensions remain high following renewed clashes over the weekend, with both sides accusing each other of violating the agreement.

The ongoing conflict stems from the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault that killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel and saw 251 others taken hostage.

According to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, whose figures are regarded by the UN as broadly reliable, over 68,000 people have been killed in Israeli operations since then.