The Israeli military reported on Tuesday that the remains of a hostage from Gaza have been transferred to Israel, marking progress following the U.S.-brokered ceasefire. Prior to this development, Hamas had returned the remains of 20 hostages to Israel since the ceasefire commenced on October 10. Pending forensic verification, this latest transfer leaves seven bodies still in Gaza.
The ceasefire seeks to de-escalate the deadliest and most devastating conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group. Earlier on Tuesday, Hamas’ military wing announced the recovery of an Israeli soldier’s body in Gaza with intentions to hand it over. However, Israel’s statement did not specify whether the remains belonged to a soldier.
Militants in Gaza have been gradually releasing one to three bodies every few days, although Israel has urged for expedited returns and has disputed the identities of some remains. Hamas attributes delays to the extensive destruction in the region.
Under the terms of the ceasefire agreement, for each hostage returned, Israel reciprocates by releasing the remains of 15 Palestinians. To date, 270 Palestinian bodies have been repatriated during the current ceasefire, with less than half positively identified. The identification process is hindered by the unavailability of DNA testing kits in Gaza, prompting the Health Ministry to publish photos of the remains online in hopes of aiding families in recognizing them.
The conflict was instigated by a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 251 individuals being taken hostage, according to Israeli reports. Israel responded with a large-scale military operation that claimed the lives of over 68,800 Palestinians in Gaza, according to figures from Gaza’s Health Ministry. Israel has refuted allegations of genocide in Gaza, challenging the ministry’s casualty count without providing an alternative figure.