Hamas returned the remains of one more Israeli hostage to the Red Cross on Friday night, saying it remains committed to handing over all bodies still trapped under Gaza’s rubble after two years of war.
Israel confirmed it received the coffin and said the body will be identified at a medical center. The exchange took place under a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal led by former President Donald Trump.
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Under the agreement, Hamas released 20 surviving hostages and the remains of nine out of 28 deceased captives. In return, Israel freed about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and paused its military operations in Gaza.
Senior Hamas official Ghazi Hamad said recovering bodies is difficult because of widespread destruction. Turkey has sent a team to help locate remains, though it is still waiting for Israel’s entry approval.
Read More: Hamas Hands Over Another Israeli Hostage’s Body
Since the ceasefire began, Gaza’s civil defense says more than 280 bodies have been pulled from the ruins. The UN’s World Food Programme reports that nearly 3,000 tonnes of food have entered Gaza, but says much more aid is needed to end hunger.
Families of freed hostages are celebrating reunions, while others mourn their loved ones. In Gaza, residents continue to dig through debris in dangerous conditions. The war has killed at least 67,967 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to local health officials. Israel says Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack killed 1,221 people, mostly civilians.