Israel has received the remains of another hostage from Gaza, the prime minister’s office said on Wednesday, after Hamas’ armed wing transferred a body found near Gaza City to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Israel’s national forensics authority is working to confirm the identity of the remains. If verified as belonging to a hostage, officials said, six deceased hostages would still remain in Gaza.
The transfer marks the latest exchange under the U.S.-brokered ceasefire that took effect on October 10, aimed at ending more than two years of fighting between Israel and Hamas.
Despite frequent flare-ups of violence, the process of repatriating the bodies of hostages has continued.
Hamas has so far handed over the remains of several captives, along with 20 living hostages, in exchange for the release of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and wartime detainees held in Israeli jails.
The group has pledged to return the bodies of 28 deceased hostages but says widespread destruction in Gaza has complicated recovery efforts. Israel, however, accuses Hamas of deliberately delaying the process.
Separately on Wednesday, the Israeli military said its forces had killed two Palestinians who approached an Israeli-controlled area in Gaza “in a threatening manner.”
Gaza health authorities reported that Israeli fire also killed a man collecting firewood in central Gaza, though the military said it was unaware of such an incident.
While sporadic clashes persist, the intensity of fighting has sharply declined since the ceasefire began.
Israel has withdrawn troops from several urban centers to positions behind a designated yellow demarcation line, allowing hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians to return to devastated neighborhoods.
The lull has also enabled an increase in humanitarian aid deliveries into the enclave, though relief agencies say conditions remain dire.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
