Gaza: Israel returns 15 Palestinian bodies as truce deal shifts to next phase
Latest news on WhatsApp أجدد الأخبار على واتسابThe International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it facilitated the return of 15 bodies of Palestinians to Gaza, as part of arrangements tied to the truce deal, three days after Israel announced it had recovered the remains of the last hostage held in the enclave.
Reuters reported that the first phase of the truce included the handover of all remaining hostages, alive and dead, while the next phase remains deeply contested, particularly over Hamas disarmament and a proposal to deploy an international peacekeeping force.
The ICRC said the process began in October with Hamas releasing 20 living hostages and Israel freeing 1,808 Palestinian prisoners, followed by facilitated returns of remains including 27 of 28 deceased hostages and 360 Palestinian bodies. Gaza’s health ministry said it received the 15 bodies on Thursday and would seek to identify them, noting only 99 returned Palestinian bodies have been identified since October.
Medics and Gaza’s health ministry also reported continued fatalities from Israeli strikes and gunfire despite the truce, with the ministry saying at least 490 people have been killed since the ceasefire took effect.
