Four deceased hostages’ coffins have entered Israel, as confirmed by the Israeli military on Tuesday. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced that the bodies were en route to the National Institute for Forensic Medicine for identification procedures. Earlier the same day, the IDF noted that Red Cross workers had received the bodies in Gaza and were transferring them to Israel.
Israel reduced the aid allowed into Gaza by half after Hamas failed to hand over the remaining hostage bodies as agreed upon in the U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal. Local health authorities in Gaza reported receiving 45 bodies of Palestinians detained by Israel.
Israeli officials stated that the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt would remain closed until Wednesday due to Hamas’s failure to deliver the remains of over 20 hostages per the ceasefire agreement.
The return of deceased hostages from Gaza progressed slower than expected after Hamas handed over four bodies out of the 28 dead hostages. Hamas mentioned difficulties in locating burial sites amidst the widespread rubble in Gaza.
The Hostages Family Forum criticized Hamas for not returning all hostage bodies as agreed. Israelis celebrated the return of the last 20 living hostages from Gaza, while Palestinians welcomed the release of around 2,000 prisoners by Israel as part of the ceasefire.
The Israeli military identified two of the deceased hostages returned from Gaza on the previous day—Guy Illouz from Israel and Bipin Joshi from Nepal. Illouz succumbed to untreated wounds while in captivity, and Joshi was reportedly murdered during the early stages of the war.
Gaza health authorities received 45 bodies of Palestinians held by Israel, with some showing signs of torture and being bound. The hospital awaits the list of names from Israeli authorities to facilitate identification by families.
At least seven individuals were reported killed by Israeli fire in Gaza despite the ongoing ceasefire. Hamas accused Israel of violating the agreement, while Israeli forces claimed they fired upon individuals approaching their forces after disregarding warnings to retreat.
Many challenges lie ahead for lasting peace in Gaza, including disarmament of Hamas, governance, reconstruction, and the issue of Palestinian statehood. International efforts are ongoing to address these challenges and secure a sustainable peace in the region.