Remains Returned by Hamas Not Identified as Hostages, Israel Says
Jerusalem – Remains handed over by Hamas to the Red Cross in Gaza today do not belong to any of the Israeli hostages still held in the territory, Israeli officials confirmed Saturday, representing a setback in the ongoing ceasefire negotiations.
The handover followed Israel’s return of the bodies of 30 Palestinians to Gaza yesterday, completing a pre-arranged exchange for the remains of two previously identified hostages earlier this week. According to a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, the three sets of remains received today were not matched to any known hostages. Hamas’ armed wing stated they had offered to provide samples for identification but Israel requested the full remains for examination, stating they handed over the bodies “to stop the claims of Israel.” Identifying remains has been hampered in Gaza by a lack of access to DNA testing resources.
The ceasefire, brokered with U.S. assistance, has seen the release of remains of 17 hostages since it took effect on October 10, with eleven still remaining in Gaza. The exchange rate has been 15 Palestinian bodies returned for each Israeli hostage or set of remains. To date, 225 Palestinian bodies have been returned to Gaza by Israel, though only 75 have been identified by families, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. This situation underscores the immense challenge of accounting for casualties in the wake of the conflict, and the need for a robust system for identifying remains. The fragile truce was recently challenged by Israeli strikes in Gaza following the death of an Israeli soldier in Rafah.
Concerns are growing about the long-term security of Gaza, with Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi warning that an ongoing Israeli military presence could jeopardize the ceasefire. Speaking at the Manama Dialogue security summit, Safadi emphasized the need for a Palestinian police force supported by an international stabilization force, potentially including contributions from nations like Indonesia, which has offered thousands of troops pending a U.N. Security Council mandate. The conflict began with the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths and 251 hostages taken, and has since led to over 68,600 Palestinian deaths in Gaza, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
Officials say further progress in the exchange of remains and the overall ceasefire depends on continued negotiations and the resolution of complex issues surrounding the governance of postwar Gaza and the increase of humanitarian aid.
