Red Cross Transfers Deceased Hostage's Body to Israeli Forces in Gaza

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has transferred the body of a deceased Israeli hostage from Hamas to Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that the coffin is en route to their troops in the territory.

The IDF urged the public to "act with sensitivity and wait for the official identification, which will first be provided to the families."

This development follows Hamas's earlier statement that it would hand over the body of an Israeli hostage on Friday.

Hamas has returned the bodies of nine of the 28 deceased hostages in Gaza and freed all 20 living hostages.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed determination to secure the return of all deceased hostages still in Gaza, stating that the country would continue to fight terrorism with "full force."

The ceasefire agreement, brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, involved Israel releasing 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,718 detainees from Gaza.

The ICRC has indicated that recovering and returning the bodies of hostages killed during the conflict is a "massive challenge" due to extensive destruction in Gaza.

The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas-led gunmen, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths in southern Israel and 251 hostages taken.

According to Gaza's Hamas-run health ministry, at least 67,967 people have been killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza since then.