Israel handed over the bodies of fifteen more Palestinians on Wednesday, continuing the grim process amid a fragile Gaza ceasefire. This exchange followed Hamas releasing the deceased body of Israeli soldier Staff Sgt Itay Chen, who was killed defending Nahal Oz on October 7 and taken into Gaza. Despite allegations of ceasefire violations and strikes on the Strip since the October 10 agreement, the International Committee of the Red Cross has transported 285 bodies from Israeli custody to Gaza.
Identifying the remains in Gaza has been challenging due to a lack of DNA testing kits, complicating the process further. Israel has not disclosed the number or locations of bodies held, but consistently returns 15 bodies each time an Israeli hostage’s remains are returned from Gaza. The recent transfer of the bodies took place at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis following the release of Staff Sgt Chen by Palestinian militants in Gaza.
The ongoing exchanges are a key element of the U.S.-brokered agreement, with Hamas required to promptly return all hostage remains. Despite accusations of breaching the agreement, Hamas has returned living hostages and bodies to Israel. Israeli officials have criticized Hamas for incomplete remains and staged discoveries, urging faster returns and claiming some remains do not belong to hostages.
Hamas has cited challenges in body recovery due to extensive destruction in Gaza, returning bodies sporadically. While casualties have decreased since the ceasefire, health officials in Gaza continue to report deaths from strikes, with Israel acknowledging soldier fatalities. The agreement progress hinges on the return of all Israeli hostage remains before advancing to subsequent phases, which include establishing an international stabilization force.
The composition and role of the stabilization force are still under discussion, aiming to garner support from Arab countries and the international community. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres emphasized the importance of a Security Council mandate for any entity in Gaza. The conflict, triggered by Hamas’ attack on southern Israel, has resulted in numerous casualties and hostages, escalating tensions in the region.
