Hamas hands over 3 deceased hostages to Red Cross, Israel says

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced Sunday Israel has received the remains of three Israeli hostages through the Red Cross; the remains were recovered by IDF and Shin Bet forces inside the Gaza Strip, according to a statement.

The announcement said the bodies would be transferred to Israel, where they will be honored in a military ceremony led by the Chief Military Rabbi.

Afterward, they will be taken to the National Center of Forensic Medicine of the Ministry of Health for identification. Once the process is completed, official notifications will be delivered to the families.

All families of the deceased hostages have been informed, and the government expressed deep condolences with the statement saying its “hearts are with them at this difficult time.”

RED CROSS TO RECEIVE ‘SEVERAL COFFINS OF DECEASED HOSTAGES’ IN GAZA STRIP, IDF SAYS

The official statement also reaffirmed Israel’s ongoing commitment to bringing all hostages home and declared that efforts will continue “relentlessly and will not cease until the last hostage is brought home.”

The Israeli public was also urged to respect the families’ privacy and avoid spreading unverified information, with updates provided only from official sources.

Though the identities of the bodies have not yet been confirmed, Hamas said they were three Israeli soldiers.

HAMAS HANDS OVER 3 DECEASED HOSTAGES TO RED CROSS, ISRAEL SAYS

So far, Hamas has returned 17 deceased hostages since the ceasefire began on Oct. 10. But 11 other hostage bodies are still thought to be in Gaza.

Per Reuters, Israel claimed Hamas has been slow at delivering the deceased bodies, while Hamas said it is working as quickly as possible but under difficult conditions.

Otherwise, before Sunday’s hostage release, Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza, killing one, according to reports.

The Israeli army claimed its aircraft struck a militant who was a threat to its forces, while Al-Ahli Hospital said one man had been killed in the airstrike in Gaza City, according to reports.

HAMAS HANDS OVER REMAINS OF HOSTAGE WHOSE BODY WAS RECOVERED NEARLY 2 YEARS AGO

“There are still Hamas pockets in the areas under our control in Gaza, and we are systematically eliminating them,” Netanyahu said during an Israeli broadcast.

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Hamas had agreed per the ceasefire to hand over the remains of 28 dead hostages in exchange for the bodies of 360 Palestinian militants that were killed in the Gaza war.