In Gaza, forensic specialists are currently engaged in the process of identifying numerous deceased Palestinians returned by Israel. These individuals are believed to have suffered physical mistreatment. Conversely, one of the four bodies transferred by Hamas the previous day was confirmed by Israel not to be one of the hostages within their custody.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized the necessity for Hamas to comply with the terms specified in the ceasefire agreement. He reiterated Israel’s unwavering commitment to securing the return of all hostages until the last one is repatriated.
Following Netanyahu’s statement, Israel handed over an additional 45 Palestinian bodies in accordance with the ceasefire pact, as reported by the Gaza Health Ministry.
This recent transfer occurred subsequent to the delivery of 45 bodies to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, where the remains were transferred without identification. This has brought the total number of deceased Palestinians released by Israel to 90 since the commencement of the ceasefire.
The origin of the unidentified bodies—bearing only numerical markers—is not definitively established. It remains unclear whether these individuals perished in Israeli detention facilities or during operations in Gaza conducted by Israeli forces.
Dr. Ahmed Duheir, the head of forensic medicine at Nasser Hospital, asserted that their team had detected indicators of physical abuse on the bodies. He mentioned that the initial batch of bodies, received on Tuesday, exhibited signs of restraint on their hands or feet. Similarly, the bodies transferred on Wednesday were found bound, with some individuals having blindfolds and signs of decomposition, complicating the identification process.
Dr. Duheir expressed the limitations of their identification tools, stressing the need for advanced DNA testing support from Israel to aid in the identification process. Despite receiving names for three of the 90 bodies, no matches have been established so far.
Sameh Hamad, a commission member overseeing the body reception at the hospital, highlighted instances of torture and executions evident on some bodies. The deceased individuals, aged between 25 and 70, were discovered with bindings around their necks, with some wearing civilian clothing and others in military attire.
Authorities anticipate the handover of a total of 450 bodies, although Israeli officials have not disclosed the exact number in their possession or the quantity slated for return.
At the Al-Ahli Arab Baptist Hospital, two individuals killed in drone strikes in the Shuja’iyya neighborhood were received, with no immediate IDF response provided.
These developments follow the killing of seven individuals by Israeli forces in Gaza despite the ongoing ceasefire. Concurrently, humanitarian aid flow to Gaza has resumed after a temporary pause, with 400 trucks transporting essential supplies to the region.
Unidentified body repatriated from Gaza
The IDF confirmed the transfer of two additional bodies of Hamas hostages from Gaza to Israel through the Red Cross. Israel’s military is set to receive the coffins of these individuals.
These transfers occurred shortly after Israel refuted the identity of a previously received body, testing the ceasefire’s stability that marked the pause in hostilities.
Hamas provided four bodies on Tuesday, following an initial four on Monday, coinciding with the release of the last 20 living hostages. Israel awaits the return of 28 deceased hostages.
Among the second batch of four bodies, three were identified as Uriel Baruch, Tamir Nimrodi, and Eitan Levi.
Israeli military authorities stated that after forensic scrutiny, the fourth body did not correspond to any of the hostages held.
