The Israeli military confirmed on Tuesday that the remains of a hostage from Gaza have been transferred to Israel as part of the ongoing U.S.-brokered ceasefire efforts. Hamas had already returned the remains of 20 hostages to Israel since the ceasefire began on October 10. With this latest transfer, seven bodies still remain in Gaza awaiting forensic testing for confirmation.
The ceasefire, aimed at de-escalating the intense conflict between Israel and Hamas, has seen some progress with the return of hostages’ remains. Earlier on Tuesday, Hamas announced the recovery of an Israeli soldier’s body in Gaza and their intention to hand it over. However, Israel did not specify whether the remains received were of a soldier.
Militants in Gaza have been gradually releasing bodies over the past days, with Israel urging for expedited returns. Some remains have been found not to belong to hostages, complicating the identification process. The extensive destruction in Gaza has further hindered the efforts of verifying the identities of the deceased.
Under the terms of the ceasefire, for each hostage returned, Israel has been releasing the remains of 15 Palestinians. To date, 270 Palestinian bodies have been repatriated, with less than half identified due to the lack of DNA testing resources in Gaza. The Health Ministry in Gaza has resorted to sharing photos of the remains online, hoping families will recognize their loved ones.
The conflict was triggered by a Hamas-led incursion into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the abduction of 251 individuals, according to Israeli reports. In response, Israel launched a widespread military campaign, causing the deaths of over 68,800 Palestinians in Gaza, as reported by the Gaza Health Ministry.
Despite accusations of genocide by a UN commission of inquiry, Israel has denied such claims and contested the figures provided by the Gaza Health Ministry without offering an alternative death toll.