Monday, November 3, 2025 - On Sunday, November 2, Red Cross vehicles carried the bodies of three individuals, believed to be deceased hostages, from Gaza toward the border crossing with Israel.
Their return marks a continuation of the ongoing exchange as part of the ceasefire agreement.
Israel announced on Sunday that the remains of three hostages had been handed
over and would be examined by forensic experts.
The Israeli military stated that official identification
would be provided to the families first. A Hamas statement said the remains
were found earlier that day in a tunnel in southern Gaza.
Since the ceasefire took effect on 10 October, Hamas has
released the remains of 17 hostages. With Sunday's handover, 11 bodies were
reported to remain in Gaza.
On Sunday night, US President Donald Trump announced that
the remains of one of the hostages returned was an American-Israeli national
named Omer Neutra.
Neutra was a tank platoon leader in the Israel Defense
Forces. Israeli officials believe he was killed during the 7 October 2023
Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that started the war. Trump claimed to have
spoken with Neutra’s parents, noting they were "thrilled, in one sense,
but in another sense, obviously, it’s not too great.”
As the fragile, month-old ceasefire holds, Hamas has been
releasing one or two bodies every few days. In exchange, Israel has been
releasing the remains of 15 Palestinians for the return of each Israeli
hostage's remains.
The exchange of remains is a central, yet emotionally
fraught, aspect of the initial phase of the US-brokered ceasefire. Relatives of
the hostages continue to gather every week. During a Saturday rally in
Jerusalem, Moran Harari, a friend of the late Carmel Gat, urged Israel to
exercise moderation, stating, “This cursed war has taken so many lives of dear
ones on both sides of the fence. This time, we must not fall into it again.”
Israel has pushed for faster progress, sometimes questioning
whether the returned remains are those of hostages. Palestinian militants,
however, say their work is complicated by widespread devastation in Gaza.
In a related challenge, health officials in Gaza are
struggling to identify bodies without access to DNA kits. According to Gaza’s
Health Ministry, only 75 of the 225 Palestinian bodies returned since the
ceasefire began have been identified. The ministry has resorted to posting
photos of remains in the hope that families will recognize them.
The underlying peace plan is extensive. The 20-point plan
includes the formation of an international stabilization force of Arab and
other partners. This force would work with Egypt and Jordan to secure Gaza’s
borders and ensure the ceasefire is respected.
While several countries have shown interest in a
peacekeeping role, they have called for a clear UN Security Council mandate
before committing troops.
Other challenging issues remain to be resolved, including:The disarmament of
Hamas, the long-term rule of Gaza after the war, the timing and method for
expanding humanitarian assistance.
Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated
early Sunday that "there are still pockets of Hamas" in areas of Gaza
under Israeli military control, specifically mentioning Rafah and Khan Younis,
and saying they "will be eliminated.”
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