Israel returns 45 Palestinian bodies after Hamas hands over remains of 3 soldiers

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip – Israel turned over the bodies of 45 Palestinians on Monday, a day after Hamas returned the remains of three Israeli soldiers killed in the October 2023 attacks that ignited the Gaza war, the Red Cross confirmed.

The exchange marked another step in the fragile, U.S.-brokered ceasefire aimed at ending the deadliest conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Since the truce took effect on October 10, Palestinian militants have returned the remains of 20 hostages, leaving eight still in Gaza. For each Israeli hostage repatriated, Israel has handed over the bodies of 15 Palestinians. With Monday’s handover, a total of 270 Palestinian bodies have been returned since the ceasefire began.

The Red Cross facilitated Monday’s transfer, delivering the 45 bodies to Gaza in coordination with both sides. According to Gaza Health Ministry spokesperson Zaher al-Wahidi, the remains arrived at Nasser Hospital around noon.

The ministry said only 78 of the bodies have been identified so far, as forensic work has been hindered by a shortage of DNA testing kits in Gaza. Officials have been posting photos of the remains online in hopes that families can help identify them.

Israel identified the three soldiers whose remains were returned Sunday night as Capt. Omer Neutra, an American-Israeli, Staff Sgt. Oz Daniel and Col. Assaf Hamami. Hamas earlier said the remains were found in a tunnel in southern Gaza.

Neutra, 21, was part of a tank crew abducted during the 2023 attack. His death was confirmed by Israel’s military in December 2024. Daniel, 19, also served in the same unit and was taken into Gaza, while another crew member was rescued alive.

“Our hearts are shattered, yet at last we can begin to bring Omer to his final resting place in the land he loved and defended,” said Neutra’s mother, Orna, in Tel Aviv. She and her husband Ronen thanked Israeli troops, U.S. President Donald Trump, and American negotiators for their efforts, but notably did not thank Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom many hostage families blame for prolonging the conflict.

Hamami, commander of Israel’s southern brigade in the Gaza division, was killed while defending Kibbutz Nirim, and his body was taken into Gaza during the 2023 assault.

Militants have been releasing one to three bodies every few days. Israeli officials have pushed to accelerate the process, though some returned remains were later found not to belong to hostages. Hamas said the devastation in Gaza has made recovery efforts difficult.

Meanwhile, Israel’s military was rocked by a political scandal involving Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, its former legal chief, admitted to leaking a video showing Israeli soldiers sexually assaulting a Palestinian detainee. She resigned and was arrested Sunday night on charges including fraud, breach of trust, and obstruction of justice.

At a court hearing Monday, her detention was extended until Wednesday. Police found her after a brief search near a Tel Aviv beach, following concerns raised by her family. Former chief military prosecutor Col. Matan Solomesh was also arrested and remains in custody.

The Palestinian detainee in the leaked video was released and returned to Gaza on October 13, according to documents from the Israeli military prosecutor’s office.

Violence also continued in the West Bank, where two Palestinians were killed Sunday night. The Palestinian Health Ministry said 17-year-old Jamil Hanani was shot dead by Israeli troops in Beit Furik. The Israeli military said soldiers fired at Palestinians throwing rocks.

In Hebron, Ahmed Al-Atrash, 32, was shot dead by an Israeli settler, the ministry said. The military referred media inquiries to the police, who gave no immediate comment. Hundreds of hard-line settlers live under heavy guard in the predominantly Palestinian city.

In a separate development, U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper visited Jordan on Monday, where she inspected a warehouse filled with British aid awaiting entry into Gaza. She called for faster delivery of humanitarian relief and announced an additional £6 million ($7.9 million) in U.N.-funded aid.

“Humanitarian support is desperately needed and the people of Gaza cannot afford to wait,” Cooper said.

Also Monday, Gaza’s Health Ministry announced a vaccination drive for around 40,000 children under three years old, aiming to protect them from measles, polio, and meningitis. The campaign targets those who missed routine immunizations because of the war, said Dr. Nedal Ghoneim, the ministry’s public health manager.

The Hamas-led attack on southern Israel in October 2023 killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. Israel’s ongoing offensive has killed more than 68,800 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

Israel has rejected accusations by the United Nations and human rights groups of committing genocide in Gaza, disputing the death tolls but not providing alternative figures.