Israel handed over the bodies of 15 unidentified Palestinians who died during the Gaza war as part of a prisoner exchange with Hamas under a U.S.-brokered ceasefire plan. The release occurred after the recovery of the last hostage, Ran Gvili, held by Hamas for over 840 days since the 2023 attack on southern Israel. Families awaited news on their loved ones as forensic teams in Israel worked to identify the bodies.
The International Committee of the Red Cross facilitated the transfer of the bodies to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, marking the completion of a months-long effort to return individuals between the two sides. A total of 360 bodies, previously unidentified and showing signs of abuse, were released to Gaza officials.
Only 99 of the Palestinian bodies handed over since October have been identified, with the remaining bodies being interred in mass graves by Gaza’s Health Ministry. The identification process will now continue at Al-Shifa Hospital. The release of hostages and prisoners was a crucial part of the ceasefire deal, with further stages yet to be fulfilled, including discussions on Hamas disarmament.
The ongoing violence has resulted in over 490 deaths in Gaza since the ceasefire began in October, following years of conflict that devastated the region. The situation remains fragile, with recent casualties reported in Khan Younis and Maghazi camp. The next phase of the peace plan involves addressing the disarmament of Hamas and potentially deploying an international peacekeeping force.