Hamas transfers remains of two more hostages under Gaza ceasefire deal

Hamas has delivered the remains of two Israeli hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza, marking another phase of implementation under the current ceasefire arrangement. The Israeli military confirmed the transfer Tuesday evening, noting that two coffins containing the deceased captives are en route to Israeli forces in the territory.

Recovery and Transfer Process

The Palestinian group announced earlier Tuesday its intention to hand over the hostage remains after recovering them from beneath destroyed structures in Gaza. The transfer occurred through the neutral intermediary services of the ICRC, which has facilitated previous hostage and prisoner exchanges between the conflicting parties during the temporary truce period.

Ceasefire Agreement Context

The hostage return forms part of the US-brokered ceasefire that took effect October 10, based on a phased approach presented by President Donald Trump. Under this arrangement, Hamas has previously released 20 living Israeli captives and transferred 14 sets of hostage remains in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli detention facilities.

Broader Conflict Casualties

The hostage exchanges occur against the backdrop of continuing violence that has resulted in over 68,200 fatalities and 170,000 injuries in Gaza since October 2023 according to Health Ministry statistics. The ceasefire represents a temporary humanitarian pause in the broader conflict that has devastated the coastal territory for over a year.