Israel received the body of a hostage from the Red Cross in Gaza on Wednesday, according to the prime minister’s office, in the latest handover to take place under a US-brokered ceasefire.
The captive’s coffin was turned over to the Israeli military and internal security service, and “will be received with a military ceremony” before being sent to a national forensic centre for identification, the premier’s office said in a statement.
“The effort to return our hostages is ongoing and will not cease until the last hostage is returned,” it added.
In a joint statement, the army and the Shin Bet security service later confirmed the remains had “crossed the border into the State of Israel”, with the military urging the public to wait for official confirmation of the deceased’s identity.
At the start of the truce last month, Hamas released all 20 surviving captives seized during its attack on Israel on Oct 7, 2023, which triggered the Gaza war.
In exchange, Israel freed hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in its custody.
Of the 28 deceased hostages Hamas agreed to hand over under the deal, it has so far returned 21 — 19 Israelis, one Thai national and one Nepali — excluding the latest body.
Israel has agreed to return the bodies of 15 Palestinians for every dead hostage it receives.
It has accused Hamas of dragging its feet in returning the bodies of deceased hostages, while the Palestinian group says the process is slow because many are buried beneath Gaza’s rubble.
