THE remains of three individuals handed over by Hamas to the Red Cross in Gaza do not belong to any hostages, Israeli authorities confirmed on Saturday, marking a setback to the U.S.-brokered ceasefire in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
AP reported today that the handover followed Israel’s return of 30 Palestinian bodies to Gaza on Friday, completing an exchange after militants earlier released remains of two hostages.
It remains unclear whose remains were handed over by Hamas. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed the three bodies were not hostages, while Hamas’ armed wing stated that it had offered samples of unidentified bodies, which Israel refused, requesting full remains instead.
“We handed the bodies over to stop the claims of Israel,” Hamas said, noting that health officials in Gaza struggle to identify bodies without DNA kits.
Families and supporters continued to rally on Saturday night, calling for the return of all hostages. Yael Adar, mother of the late Tamir Adar, said at a Tel Aviv gathering: “The Hamas scum are mocking us.” Meanwhile, Moran Harari, friend of the late Carmel Gat, urged restraint at a Jerusalem rally.
“This cursed war has taken so many lives of dear people on both sides of the fence. This time, we must not fall into it again,” Harari said.
Since the ceasefire began on October 10, Palestinian militants have released remains of 17 hostages, with 11 still held in Gaza. Israel has urged Hamas to accelerate the process, while militants cite widespread devastation and Israeli military presence as complicating factors.
Israel has simultaneously returned 225 unidentified Palestinian bodies in exchange for the remains of Israeli hostages, though only 75 have been identified by families, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
The truce faced further strain earlier this week when Israeli strikes across Gaza killed more than 100 people following the death of an Israeli soldier in Rafah. Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, warned that Israel’s ongoing military presence in Gaza endangers the ceasefire.
“With Israel staying in Gaza, I think security is going to be a challenge,” Safadi said, advocating for a Palestinian police force supported by an international stabilisation force under a U.N. mandate.
The 20-point U.S. peace plan envisages a temporary international force, coordinated with Egypt and Jordan, but explicitly rules out American troops. Indonesia has offered thousands of personnel for such a mission, although Foreign Minister Sugiono stressed that a U.N. Security Council mandate is required before any deployment.
The conflict, now the deadliest between Israel and Hamas, began with the 2023 Hamas-led attack that killed roughly 1,200 people and took 251 hostages.
Israel’s military response has resulted in over 68,600 Palestinian deaths in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, which tracks both civilians and combatants. Israel disputes these figures but has not provided an alternative toll. - November 2, 2025
