Israel hands over bodies of 30 Palestinians to Gaza

The exchange is part of a fragile ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas that is showing signs of progress despite ongoing violence.

Dr. Ahmed al-Farra, head of the pediatric unit at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, confirmed receiving the 30 bodies, all of which arrived without identification details. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) facilitated the handover, but Gaza’s health authorities say they face major challenges in identifying the remains.

Photos from the hospital showed the white body bags lined up in rows as staff tried to preserve them with limited equipment and no access to DNA testing kits.

The transfer brings the total number of Palestinian bodies returned by Israel to 225. It remains unclear whether those handed over were killed during the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, died in Israeli custody, or were recovered by Israeli troops inside Gaza during the war. Gaza’s Health Ministry, which operates under the Hamas-run government, said the returned bodies are often severely decomposed, making identification nearly impossible.

The exchange follows Hamas’s handover of the remains of two Israeli hostages — 25-year-old Sahar Baruch and 84-year-old Amiram Cooper. Baruch was abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri during the October 7 attack and later declared dead after an Israeli rescue attempt.

Cooper, one of the founders of Kibbutz Nir Oz, was captured along with his wife, who was released after 17 days. Israeli officials confirmed Cooper’s death in Gaza in June 2024. Hamas has now returned the remains of 17 hostages since the ceasefire began, with 11 others still expected to be turned over under the deal.

The body exchanges are seen as key steps in implementing the ceasefire agreement, which was brokered by the United States and regional mediators

The truce, in place since October 10, aims to gradually end the two-year war that has devastated Gaza and left much of the territory in ruins.

However, the situation remains volatile. Israeli airstrikes this week killed more than 100 Palestinians following the death of an Israeli soldier, raising fears that the ceasefire could unravel.

A senior U.S. official said mediators warned Hamas that its remaining fighters in a designated “yellow zone” had 24 hours to withdraw or face Israeli strikes.

After the deadline passed, Israel vowed to “enforce the ceasefire” by targeting Hamas units that violated it. Despite these tensions, both sides continue limited cooperation through prisoner and body exchanges.

The humanitarian cost of the conflict remains immense. Since the war began after Hamas’s October 2023 assault that killed about 1,200 people and led to 251 hostages being taken, Gaza has endured relentless Israeli attacks.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, more than 68,600 Palestinians have been killed — figures Israel disputes but has not refuted with alternative data.