Israel confirms it expects to receive the body of a hostage from Gaza this afternoon

By Emanuel Fabian

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3 December 2025, 3:25 pm

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Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent

Islamic Jihad and Hamas members carry a white body bag that is believed to be the remains of a deceased hostage, in the town of Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza Strip, Dec. 3, 2025. (AP/Jehad Alshrafi).

Israel is readying to receive in the coming hours, via the Red Cross, the body of a hostage that was located today by Palestinian terror groups in the northern Gaza Strip, the Prime Minister’s Office says.

Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad announced earlier that they would hand over the body at 5 p.m.

Once handed over, the remains will be taken to the Abu Kabir forensic institute in Tel Aviv for identification.

If the body is confirmed to belong to a hostage, it would mean that the remains of only one hostage will still be held in Gaza — either police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili or Thai national Sudthisak Rinthalak.