JERUSALEM — Israel on Wednesday received the remains of two more hostages from Hamas, hours after the Israeli military announced that one of the bodies handed over earlier was not that of a hostage. The development added confusion and tension to the fragile truce that has temporarily halted the two-year conflict.
The Red Cross transferred the two coffins from Hamas to Israel, where the remains were brought to a forensic laboratory in Tel Aviv for identification. The Israeli military said the identities of the hostages have yet to be verified.
Meanwhile, Gaza’s Health Ministry said it received 45 additional bodies of Palestinians from Israel, bringing the total to 90 since the ceasefire began. Forensic experts in Gaza reported that many of the bodies showed signs of mistreatment.
Under the terms of the ceasefire, Hamas has so far returned eight bodies of hostages four on Monday and four on Tuesday, after releasing 20 living captives. Israel is still awaiting the return of the bodies of 28 hostages.
The Israeli military said forensic tests revealed that “the fourth body handed over to Israel by Hamas does not match any of the hostages.” Authorities have not confirmed the identity of the remains.
In exchange for the release of the hostages, Israel freed around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees earlier this week. Officials said more bodies are expected to be transferred, though it remains unclear how many are in Israeli custody or whether they include Palestinians who died in detention or during the fighting in Gaza.
As forensic teams worked to identify the returned remains, Gaza’s Health Ministry released images of 32 unidentified bodies in hopes of helping families locate missing relatives. Many of the bodies appeared decomposed, burned, or disfigured, with some missing limbs or teeth. Health officials said Israeli restrictions on DNA testing equipment in Gaza have forced morgues to rely on physical features and clothing for identification.
A Gaza forensics team reported that some bodies arrived still shackled or showing signs of torture. “There are signs of torture and executions,” said Sameh Hamad, a member of the commission receiving the bodies at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. He said most were men aged 25 to 70, some wearing civilian clothes and others in military uniforms.
Hamad said the Red Cross provided names for only three of the deceased, leaving many families in limbo. According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government, nearly 68,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began. The ministry’s casualty records are regarded as generally credible by United Nations agencies and independent observers. Thousands remain missing, according to the Red Cross and the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics.
Outside Nasser Hospital, 52-year-old Rasmiya Qudeih waited anxiously, hoping her son was among the 45 bodies returned Wednesday. He disappeared on October 7, 2023 — the day of Hamas’ assault on Israel that ignited the conflict.
The ceasefire plan, introduced by U.S. President Donald Trump, required all hostages living and deceased to be returned by a deadline that expired Monday. Under the agreement, if the deadline was not met, Hamas was obligated to provide information about the dead and return them as soon as possible.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted Wednesday that Israel “will not compromise” and called on Hamas to meet the terms of the ceasefire regarding the return of hostages’ remains.
In an interview with CNN, Trump warned that Israel could resume military operations if Hamas fails to comply. “Israel will return to those streets as soon as I say the word,” Trump said.
Hamas’ armed wing claimed it had fulfilled its obligations under the truce and handed over the remains of the hostages in its custody. Two senior U.S. advisers, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Hamas had assured the United States via mediators that it is working to locate and return additional bodies. They added that widespread destruction and unexploded ordnance in Gaza have complicated recovery efforts.
This is not the first case of a mistaken return. During a previous ceasefire, Hamas said it had delivered the bodies of Shiri Bibas and her two sons, abducted in the October 7 attacks, but testing later showed one body belonged to a Palestinian woman. Bibas’ remains were returned a day later.
Humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza resumed Wednesday after a two-day pause. The World Food Program confirmed that its trucks began entering the territory as part of the ceasefire deal. The Egyptian Red Crescent reported that 400 trucks carrying food, fuel, and medical supplies were bound for Gaza. The Israeli agency overseeing humanitarian aid, COGAT, declined to specify how many trucks were expected to cross.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
