Live Update 
From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
IDF receives two bodies said to be of deceased hostages, will bring them back to Israel
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
IDF troops in the Gaza Strip have received two caskets, with the apparent bodies of two deceased hostages, from the Red Cross a short while ago.
The caskets had been collected by the Red Cross from Hamas in southern Gaza. The bodies have not been identified by the terror group.
The IDF is set to inspect the caskets before draping them in Israeli flags and holding a short ceremony led by a military rabbi.
The remains will then be taken to the Abu Kabir forensic institute in Tel Aviv for identification.
If the bodies are identified as belonging to captives, 13 deceased Israeli hostages will remain in Gaza.
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