Israel handed over the bodies of 45 Palestinians yesterday, the Red Cross says, a day after Hamas returned the remains of three hostages. Israeli officials identified the three as soldiers who were killed in the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, that triggered the war in Gaza.
The exchange marked another step forward for the tenuous, US-brokered ceasefire. For each deceased Israeli hostage returned, Israel has been releasing the remains of 15 Palestinians.
The Red Cross says it facilitated the transfer of 45 Palestinian bodies to Gaza on Monday morning. Zaher al-Wahidi, a spokesperson at the Gaza Health Ministry, told The Associated Press that Nasser Hospital received the bodies around noon.
Only 78 of the bodies returned so far have been identified, the ministry says. Forensic work is complicated by a lack of DNA testing kits in Gaza, it adds. The ministry posts photos of the remains online, in the hope that families will recognize them.
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From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, November 4, 2025
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