Overview

• Four coffins transferred via the Red Cross at Kerem Shalom were escorted by the IDF and ISA to Israel’s forensic institute for DNA identification before any official confirmation to families.
• The cease-fire framework called for 28 deceased hostages to be returned in the initial phase, but only four have been delivered so far, leaving 24 remains unreturned.
• Hamas told mediators it cannot readily locate or retrieve additional bodies due to battlefield conditions, movement, or burial of remains and has sought more time.
• Israeli officials labeled the partial handover a breach of the agreement and demanded full compliance, with warnings that continued delays could trigger consequences.
• The handovers come after the release of the last 20 living hostages and alongside a declaration by the US, Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye supporting the cease-fire’s implementation.