Israel confirms Gaza remains not linked to deceased hostages

Following the completion of the identification process at Israel’s National Centre for Forensic Medicine, it was confirmed that the remains delivered from the Gaza Strip yesterday are not connected to any of the deceased hostages.

The Prime Minister’s office reported the findings, as cited by Newsru.co.il. Updated information has been provided to the families of the two hostages who were killed.

“The efforts to bring them back will not cease until the mission to provide them with a proper burial in their homeland is completed,” the Prime Minister’s office stated.

Israel is currently awaiting the return of the remains of two hostages still in Gaza: Ran Gvili, a YASAM special forces sergeant who resisted a terrorist attack in Alumim, and Sudthisak Rinthalak, a Thai citizen abducted from Be’eri.

These developments occur under the first phase of the US-brokered ceasefire deal, which came into effect on October 10. Under the agreement, Hamas committed to returning 20 living Israeli hostages and the bodies of 28 deceased Israeli and foreign hostages still in Gaza within 72 hours.

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

To date, Israel has received the remains of 23 deceased Israeli hostages, as well as three foreign hostages — one Thai, one Nepalese, and one Tanzanian. In exchange, Israel returned the bodies of 330 Palestinians killed during the conflict.

Israel has accused Hamas of deliberately delaying the recovery of the hostages’ bodies, while Hamas maintains that it is struggling to locate them beneath the rubble.

The slow progress has stalled the second phase of former President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan, which envisions governance arrangements in Gaza, the withdrawal of Israeli troops, Hamas disarmament, and reconstruction efforts.

The two deceased hostages remaining in Gaza were among 251 people abducted by Hamas and its allies on October 7, 2023, during an attack that left approximately 1,200 others dead. In response, Israel launched a military campaign in Gaza, which, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, has resulted in more than 69,770 deaths.

By Tamilla Hasanova