Israel Receives Three Hostage Remains From Gaza Under Red Cross Transfer

Overview

• Israel’s prime minister’s office said three coffins with the bodies of hostages were delivered in Gaza and moved to Israeli custody for identification.
• Hamas had announced earlier that it would hand over three bodies it said were found in a southern Gaza tunnel, scheduling the handover for 20:00 local time.
• The International Committee of the Red Cross facilitated the recovery, and the remains will be examined at Israel’s national forensic institute before families are notified.
• The exchange framework has already included Hamas freeing 20 surviving hostages and Israel releasing 1,718 Gaza detainees plus 250 prisoners serving life or long terms.
• Israeli accounts of the deal state Hamas is to return the remaining 28 bodies of captives, with further handovers reported in recent days.