The partial remains of three bodies in Gaza handed over to Israel overnight did not belong to any of the hostages held in the Palestinian territory, Israeli media reported on Saturday.
Red Cross transports the bodies of two deceased hostages, kidnapped during the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas, after they were handed over by Hamas militants, in Deir Al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, October 30, 2025. Reuters/Mahmoud Issa
The partial remains of three bodies in Gaza handed over to Israel overnight did not belong to any of the hostages held in the Palestinian territory, Israeli media reported on Saturday.
There was no immediate comment from the Israeli government on the reports. The International Committee of the Red Cross said late on Friday that it had facilitated the transfer of three deceased individuals from the Gaza Strip to Israeli authorities for identification.
Unlike previous instances, Hamas had not announced that it was turning over remains of hostages held by militants in Gaza.
The bodies of 11 hostages remain in Gaza, including those of two foreign nationals. Hamas has released 20 living hostages and handed over the remains of 17 since a ceasefire with Israel took effect on October 10 after two years of devastating war.
The U.S.-brokered truce, which left thorny issues like the disarmament of Hamas and a timeline for Israeli withdrawal from Gaza unresolved, has been tested by periodic outbreaks of violence since it came into force.
Reporting by Muhammad Al Gebaly and Enas Alashray
Foreign ministers from several Muslim-majority countries will convene in Istanbul on Monday to discuss the current Gaza ceasefire and potential next steps, including the establishment of a "stability force," Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced on Friday during a press conference in Ankara.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan criticised Germany over what he said was its ignorance of Israel's "genocide" and attacks in Gaza, at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday.
Tens of thousands of ultra-Orthodox Jewish protesters streamed to Jerusalem on Thursday in a show of force against military conscription, a hot-button issue placing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition under increasing political strain.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.