Written by Lisa Murimi
The armed wings of Hamas and Islamic Jihad announced on Thursday that they would hand over the body of an Israeli hostage later in the evening, though Israeli authorities said they had not received official confirmation of the planned transfer.
Islamic Jihad said the body was recovered in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, an area heavily damaged during months of fighting before a ceasefire took effect in October.
The group, which is allied with Hamas, was among those that seized hostages during the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which triggered the Gaza war.
Under the October ceasefire agreement, Hamas released all 20 surviving hostages still held in Gaza in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and wartime detainees held by Israel.
The deal also included the return of the remains of 28 hostages in exchange for the bodies of 360 militants killed during the conflict.
Until Thursday, the remains of four hostages were still believed to be held in Gaza. If confirmed, the latest handover would bring that number down to three.
A spokesperson for the Israeli government told reporters that Israel was unaware of any planned return and had not been formally notified by mediators or Hamas officials, despite regional media reports suggesting the transfer could occur at 8 p.m. local time.
In Gaza City, a Red Cross vehicle was seen moving inside the “yellow line,” an area from which Israeli forces withdrew under the ceasefire, escorted by a van driven by a Hamas militant.
Hamas officials said their teams were continuing to search for the bodies of deceased hostages taken during the 2023 attack.
The International Committee of the Red Cross has not commented publicly on the reported operation, which comes amid ongoing efforts by Qatari and Egyptian mediators to maintain calm and ensure compliance with the fragile truce.
The October ceasefire, the first major pause in fighting since the war erupted, has largely held despite sporadic tensions and delays in prisoner exchanges.
Both Hamas and Israel have faced domestic pressure to recover remains and account for those still missing more than a year after the deadly assault that reshaped regional dynamics.
