Hamas Delivers Remains of Deceased Hostage to Israel Amid Ceasefire

Wed Nov 19 2025 08:56:02 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a significant development amid an ongoing ceasefire, Hamas has handed over a coffin containing the remains of a deceased hostage to Israel, as both parties seek to navigate the complexities of the hostage situation and peace negotiations.

Hamas has transferred a coffin containing the remains of what it claims is another deceased Israeli hostage to the Red Cross. This handover is part of a broader ceasefire agreement facilitated by the U.S., focusing on the return of hostages. The Israeli military plans to verify the remains before proceeding, as ongoing tensions and accusations shape the context of this exchange. As the complexities of post-conflict recovery take shape, the fate of remaining hostages continues to be a pressing issue.

Hamas has handed over to the Red Cross a coffin containing what it says is the body of another deceased hostage, the Israeli military has reported.

The remains have been transferred to Israeli forces, who will take them to the National Centre of Foreign Medicine in Tel Aviv for identification.

As part of the initial phase of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal with Israel, Hamas agreed to return all 20 living and 28 deceased Israeli and foreign hostages it was holding within a 72-hour window.

Israel has accused Hamas of purposely delaying the recovery of the deceased hostages' remains, while Hamas maintains it is facing difficulties retrieving them from under rubble.

If these remains are confirmed as those of a hostage, it would indicate that six others, including Israelis and foreign nationals, remain unaccounted for in Gaza.

All living Israeli hostages were released on 13 October in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,718 detainees from Gaza.

In exchange for the bodies of Israeli hostages and two foreign hostages—one Thai and one Nepalese—Israel has returned the remains of 300 Palestinians.

Recently, the remains of Israeli-American soldier Itay Chen, 19, were returned to Israel. Chen was serving as a soldier in the IDF's 7th Brigade when he was captured and killed during a Hamas-led attack on 7 October 2023.

The ongoing slow progress regarding the return of hostages has stalled advancements on the second phase of President Trump's Gaza peace plan, which includes governance issues in Gaza, Israeli troop withdrawals, disarmament of Hamas, and plans for reconstruction.

Moreover, Israel has allowed members of the Palestinian armed group and Red Cross staff to conduct searches for remains in territories still under Israeli control.

All but one of the deceased hostages still in Gaza were part of the 251 individuals abducted during the Hamas-led attack on 7 October—a tragic day that also claimed about 1,200 lives.

In response, Israel initiated a military campaign in Gaza, which according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry, has resulted in over 68,800 deaths.