Israel Recovers Bodies of Four More Hostages Handed Over by Hamas
Remains transferred to Tel Aviv for identification Israel urges Hamas to return bodies of all remaining hostages in Gaza.
Israel, Oct 15 : Israel has received the bodies of four more hostages handed over by Hamas to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the Gaza Strip, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Wednesday.
According to a joint statement by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet, the remains were transferred from the Red Cross to Israeli personnel inside Gaza before being escorted across the border into Israel.
The bodies have been taken to the National Center of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv for identification. Unlike a similar handover earlier this week, Hamas did not disclose the identities of the hostages beforehand, and Israeli authorities said the process of confirming their identities is still underway.
“After the identification process is completed, an official notification will be delivered to the families,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.
Earlier on Monday, Hamas handed over the bodies of four deceased hostages along with 20 living captives as part of a ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal under which Israel released around 2,000 Palestinian detainees and prisoners.
Israeli officials said that about 20 additional bodies of hostages remain in Gaza, and have demanded that Hamas hand them over immediately.
On the same day, Israel announced that Hamas no longer holds any living Israeli hostages, as the final 13 captives were returned to the IDF after more than two years in captivity.
This was the second group of hostages released in recent days. The first group included seven Israeli men Gali and Ziv Berman, Matan Angrest, Alon Ohel, Omri Miran, Eitan Mor, and Guy Gilboa Dallal all of whom were handed over to Israeli forces in Gaza by the Red Cross after 738 days in Hamas captivity.
The latest transfer marks another step in the ongoing process of recovering those who were abducted during the October 2023 Hamas attacks, as Israel continues to press for the return of all remaining hostages and their remains.
