Hamas Announces Transfer of Bodies of Two Israeli Captives as Part of Ceasefire Deal
Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, announced on Tuesday that it will hand over the bodies of two Israeli captives this evening, as part of the implementation of the ceasefire agreement with Israel.
In a statement, the Brigades said it “will transfer the bodies of two Israeli captives at 9:00 PM Gaza time (1800 GMT),” adding that this step comes as part of fulfilling the terms of the truce. If completed, this will bring the total number of Israeli bodies returned by the group since the start of the agreement to 15.
Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross confirmed that it transferred the bodies of 15 Palestinians from Israel to the Gaza Strip today, as part of the arrangements agreed upon under the US-brokered truce. In a statement, the committee noted that “medical authorities in Gaza confirmed receipt of the bodies, all of which remain unidentified.”
The Ministry of Health in Gaza stated it has received a total of 165 Palestinian bodies since the agreement came into effect, noting that Israel receives 15 Palestinian bodies for each Israeli body returned.
In a related context, the ministry reported that the death toll in the Gaza Strip since the outbreak of war in October 2023 has risen to 68,229 killed and 170,369 wounded, adding that some victims remain under the rubble in areas that are difficult to access.
