Israel has stated that the three remains handed over by Hamas to the Red Cross in Gaza do not belong to any hostages, marking a setback in the U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The handover came after Israel returned the bodies of 30 Palestinians to Gaza on Friday, completing an exchange that began when militants earlier turned over remains of two hostages.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed that the three remains do not belong to hostages, although their identities remain unknown. Hamas’ armed wing indicated that they offered samples of unidentified bodies on Friday, but Israel requested the remains for further examination.
Families and supporters gathered in Tel Aviv on Saturday night to demand the return of all hostages. Since the ceasefire started on October 10, Palestinian militants have released the remains of 17 hostages, with 11 still in Gaza. Israel has been releasing the unidentified remains of 15 Palestinians for each Israeli hostage returned, totaling 225 bodies so far. Gaza’s Health Ministry has only identified 75 of these bodies.
The ceasefire faced a significant challenge when Israel conducted strikes across Gaza earlier in the week, resulting in over 100 casualties following the killing of an Israeli soldier in Rafah. Jordan’s foreign minister cautioned that Israel’s military presence in Gaza jeopardizes the ceasefire’s stability. The U.S. peace plan includes the deployment of an international stabilization force to secure Gaza’s borders, with multiple nations expressing interest in participating.
Difficult questions remain regarding Hamas’ disarmament, governance of postwar Gaza, and the distribution of humanitarian aid. Indonesia has offered troops for Gaza but emphasized the need for a clear UN mandate. The war, sparked by the 2023 Hamas-led attack, has been the deadliest and most destructive conflict between Israel and Hamas, resulting in significant casualties and hostages. Israel has refuted accusations of genocide in Gaza.