Israeli authorities have received two bodies that Hamas claims are those of deceased hostages who had been held in Gaza.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that two coffins were transferred to its troops within the Palestinian territory by the International Committee of the Red Cross, which had previously received them from Hamas.
The IDF stated that the coffins, under military escort, have been transported into Israel and will undergo formal identification procedures in Tel Aviv.
If confirmed, this would bring the total number of deceased Israeli hostages transferred by Hamas to 15 out of 28 under the initial phase of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement earlier this month. All 20 living hostages were released shortly after the agreement was reached.
During previous hostage transfers, Hamas also handed over a Palestinian body, citing it as an unintentional occurrence due to difficulties in locating the bodies.
On Tuesday evening, the IDF urged the Israeli public to “exercise sensitivity and await official identification, which will be communicated to the families of the hostages first”.
The IDF also emphasized that “Hamas is obligated to adhere to the agreement and take the necessary actions to return all deceased hostages”.
Israeli officials have stated that the families of the hostages will be informed immediately upon identification of the bodies.
Public outcry has emerged in Israel over the delay in Hamas returning all of the deceased hostages.
Hamas maintains that it is making efforts to do so but faces challenges in locating bodies amidst the rubble of buildings destroyed by IDF bombings in Gaza.
Under the terms of the ceasefire and hostage release agreement, Israel has released 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,718 detainees from Gaza, and returned 15 bodies of Palestinians for every Israeli hostage’s remains.
The initial phase of the agreement has also facilitated increased aid to Gaza, a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces, and a cessation of hostilities, although violent incidents have occurred over the weekend, with both sides accusing each other of violating the terms of the deal.
The IDF initiated a military campaign in Gaza in response to the October 7, 2023 attack, in which Hamas-led militants killed approximately 1,200 individuals in southern Israel and abducted 251 others.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry, which the UN considers reliable, over 68,000 people have been killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza since then.
David Ireland noted the existing affinity between unionists in Northern Ireland and Israel.
The assailant was observed striking the 55-year-old woman with a substantial wooden stick during the assault in the West Bank village of Turmus Ayaa.
Haimi, who was killed by Hamas on October 7, 2023, represents the 13th out of 28 deceased hostages to be returned under the ceasefire.
While diminished, Hamas remains a significant entity, suggesting Israel may need to contend with it for the foreseeable future.
The deadliest day of attacks since the truce commenced on October 10 raises concerns about its longevity.