Israel receives remains of three soldiers, hands over bodies of 45 Palestinian
Hamas’s military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, said the remains of the three soldiers were found “along the route of one of the tunnels in the southern Gaza Strip”.
Red Cross vehicles carrying the bodies of three people believed to be deceased hostages handed over by Hamas make their way toward the border crossing with Israel, to be transferred to Israeli authorities, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip. (AP)
Israel has confirmed that Hamas has returned the bodies of three Israeli soldiers through the Red Cross, as part of the ongoing US-brokered ceasefire deal in Gaza. In return, Israel handed over the bodies of 45 Palestinians, health officials in Gaza said.
Who Were the Soldiers Returned
Forensic tests confirmed that the remains were those of Col Asaf Hamami, 40, Capt Omer Neutra, 21, and Staff Sgt Oz Daniel, 19.
All three were killed during the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, which triggered the war. The Israeli prime minister’s office said in a statement: “The government of Israel shares in the deep sorrow of the Hamami, Neutra and Daniel families, and all the families of the deceased hostages. Hamas must uphold its commitments and return all the hostages. We will not compromise until every last one of them is brought home.”
Palestinian kids look into a Red Cross vehicles carrying the bodies of two people believed to be deceased hostages handed over by Hamas make their way toward the Kissufim border crossing with Israel, to be transferred to Israeli authorities, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip. (AP)
The soldiers’ bodies were first handed to the Red Cross by Hamas in Gaza and then transferred to Israeli forces for identification at the National Centre of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv.
How the Exchange Happened
Hamas’s military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, said the remains of the three soldiers were found “along the route of one of the tunnels in the southern Gaza Strip”.
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A spokesperson for Israel’s prime minister confirmed to AP that the handover took place on Sunday night, as part of the ongoing ceasefire agreement that began on 10 October.
In return, AP reported that Israel released 45 Palestinian bodies on Monday, bringing the total number of Palestinian remains handed back since the ceasefire began to 270.
How Many Hostages Have Been Returned
Under the first phase of the US-brokered ceasefire, Hamas agreed to return all 20 living and 28 dead hostages. So far, the bodies of 18 Israeli hostages and two foreign nationals a Thai and a Nepalese citizen have been returned.
A woman and a boy look into a Red Cross vehicle carrying the bodies of two people believed to be deceased hostages handed over by Hamas, before it continues toward the Kissufim border crossing with Israel to transfer the remains to Israeli authorities, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip. (AP)
Six of the eight dead hostages still in Gaza are Israeli, one is Tanzanian and one is Thai. All the living Israeli hostages were released on 13 October in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,718 detainees from Gaza.
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What Is Delaying Further Returns
Israel has accused Hamas of delaying the recovery of the remaining bodies. Hamas has said it is struggling to locate them beneath the rubble caused by the fighting.
This slow progress has stalled talks on the second phase of the ceasefire, which is meant to cover plans for Gaza’s governance, Israeli troop withdrawal, the disarmament of Hamas, and reconstruction efforts after two years of war.
Who the Soldiers Were
Col Hamami commanded the Southern Brigade of Israel’s Gaza Division and was among the first officers to reach the combat zones during the 7 October attack. He was killed near Kibbutz Nirim, and his body was taken to Gaza.
Capt Neutra, an American-Israeli, served as a platoon commander in the IDF’s 7th Brigade. AP said he was killed near the Gaza border, and his body was taken by Hamas.
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Red Cross vehicles carrying the bodies of two people believed to be deceased hostages handed over by Hamas make their way toward the Kissufim border crossing with Israel, to be transferred to Israeli authorities, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip. (AP)
Staff Sgt Daniel, 19, served in the same brigade. He was killed during fighting close to the Gaza perimeter and abducted after the battle.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum in Israel said it “bows its head in sorrow and shares in the profound grief” of the families.
“There are no words to express the depth of this pain. The hostages have no time. We must bring them all home now,” it said in a statement reported by BBC.
Palestinian Side: Bodies Handed Over to Gaza Hospitals
AP reported that Gaza’s Health Ministry received the 45 Palestinian bodies at Nasser Hospital in Deir al-Balah around noon on Monday.
A ministry spokesperson, Zaher al-Wahidi, said that identifying the remains is slow because of a lack of DNA testing kits. “Only about 75 of the returned bodies have been identified so far,” he said.
The ministry said it has been posting photos online in the hope that families can recognise their relatives.
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Meanwhile, Gaza’s health authorities said a vaccination campaign for about 40,000 children under three will begin next week to prevent diseases such as measles and polio.
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Red Cross vehicles carrying the bodies of three people believed to be deceased hostages handed over by Hamas make their way toward the border crossing with Israel, to be transferred to Israeli authorities, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip. (AP) 
