The stalled Gaza peace process has seen a grim but significant movement, with Hamas handing over a casket containing the apparent remains of a slain Israeli hostage. The transfer, which took place late Friday night, was a complex, multi-stage operation facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
The process began when ICRC vehicles traveled to a pre-arranged handover site in the Hamad Town residential complex in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. Hamas, which did not identify the hostage, stated that it had “retrieved” the body earlier in the day. This corresponds with footage from Friday showing Hamas operatives digging in the area, with some Arab media reports claiming they were recovering a body buried in a tunnel.
After receiving the casket from Hamas, the ICRC notified the Israeli military and transported the remains to a rendezvous point with IDF troops operating inside the Gaza Strip.
IDF troops confirmed they received the casket from the Red Cross just after midnight. A military rabbi was present to lead a short, somber ceremony as the casket was inspected and draped in an Israeli flag. The remains are now being transported to the Abu Kabir forensic institute in Tel Aviv for a definitive identification.
This handover is a critical, albeit painful, step in the implementation of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire. The deal’s “Phase Two,” which includes the release of thousands of Palestinian prisoners and the establishment of a new government for Gaza, is contingent on Hamas returning the bodies of all deceased hostages.
The successful transfer of this body is the first such handover in several days and, if confirmed to be a hostage, would mean that the remains of at least 18 other captives are still held by Hamas in Gaza, presenting a major ongoing obstacle to the full execution of the peace agreement.
Footage Charlie Kirk has been shot
Charlie Kirk has been shot
