The Israeli military announced on Tuesday that the remains of a hostage from Gaza have been transferred to Israel, signaling progress following the U.S.-brokered ceasefire. Hamas had already returned the remains of 20 hostages to Israel since the ceasefire began on October 10. Pending forensic verification, seven bodies are still in Gaza.
The ceasefire aims to de-escalate the deadliest conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group. Earlier on Tuesday, Hamas’s military wing stated it had retrieved the body of an Israeli soldier in Gaza, intending to hand it over. However, Israel’s confirmation did not specify if the remains belonged to a soldier.
Militants in Gaza have been gradually releasing one to three bodies every few days, with Israel urging expedited returns and clarifying that some remains were not of hostages. Hamas cited challenges due to widespread destruction in their efforts.
Under the ceasefire terms, for each hostage returned, Israel releases the remains of 15 Palestinians. To date, 270 Palestinian bodies have been repatriated, with less than half identified. Limited availability of DNA testing kits in Gaza complicates forensic procedures, prompting the Health Ministry to share photos of the remains online for family recognition.
The conflict was sparked by a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in around 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages. Israel’s subsequent military offensive in Gaza claimed over 68,800 Palestinian lives, as reported by Gaza’s Health Ministry. Israel refutes allegations of genocide in Gaza, disputing the ministry’s casualty figures while refraining from providing a conflicting count.
