The remains of a hostage from Gaza have been returned to Israel, as confirmed by the Israeli military on Tuesday. This transfer marks a notable moment in the ongoing efforts to manage the aftermath of the recent conflict, which has seen a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in place since October 10, 2023. The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office stated that the remains will be sent to the Ministry of Health’s National Center for Forensic Medicine for identification.
Prior to this announcement, Hamas had returned the remains of 20 hostages to Israel as part of the ceasefire. If the latest remains are confirmed through forensic testing, it would leave seven more unaccounted for in Gaza. The process of returning the bodies of the remaining hostages has been slow, with Hamas reportedly transferring only one or two bodies every few days. According to Hamas, the delay is attributed to the remains being buried under rubble from buildings destroyed during Israel’s military operations in the Gaza Strip.
In a related development, the military wing of Hamas announced earlier on Tuesday that it had recovered the body of an Israeli soldier in Gaza, which it intends to hand over. The Israeli statement did not clarify whether the remains in question belong to a soldier. Israel has expressed urgency in expediting the return of the remains and has indicated that not all of them are necessarily those of hostages.
The Israeli government, along with families of the hostages, has accused Hamas of prolonging the process. There have been threats to resume military operations or to withhold humanitarian aid if all remains are not returned promptly. Hamas has countered that the situation is complicated by extensive destruction across Gaza.
For each Israeli hostage returned, Israel has been releasing the remains of 15 Palestinians. So far, 270 Palestinian bodies have been handed over under the current ceasefire, with fewer than half identified. The forensic identification process is hampered by a lack of DNA testing kits available in Gaza. The Hamas-run Health Ministry has been posting photographs of the remains online, hoping that families might recognize their loved ones.
The conflict escalated dramatically following a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people and the taking of 251 hostages. In response, Israel launched a substantial military offensive in Gaza, which, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, has resulted in over 68,800 Palestinian casualties, though these figures, which do not distinguish between combatants and civilians, have been disputed by Israel.
Israel has rejected allegations from a United Nations commission of inquiry and other organizations that it has committed genocide in Gaza, while disputing the casualty figures without providing an alternative count. As the ceasefire continues, the deadliest conflict between Israel and Hamas is showing signs of winding down, although tensions remain high. The Israel Defense Forces emphasized last week that they would uphold the ceasefire agreement while also responding decisively to any violations.
