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Israel confirms return of US-Israeli soldier's remains under Gaza ceasefire
Israel has identified the body of 19-year-old Staff Sgt. Itay Chen, a dual Israeli-American citizen, returned by Hamas on Tuesday as part of a ceasefire agreement brokered last month by US President Donald Trump.
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office announced the completion of the identification process, stating that military representatives had informed Chen's family of his return. The soldier, assigned to the Israel Defense Forces' (IDF) 7th Brigade, was killed during Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel and his body taken to Gaza, according to the IDF.
Recovery and exchange under ceasefire terms
Hamas's military wing claimed it had located Chen's remains in Gaza City's eastern Shejaiya neighborhood, an area under Israeli control where Palestinian armed groups and Red Cross personnel were permitted to conduct searches. The IDF confirmed Chen died in a tank battle at Kibbutz Nir Oz before his body was seized.
Under the ceasefire deal, Hamas agreed to return 20 living and 28 deceased hostages within 72 hours. In exchange, Israel released 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,718 detainees from Gaza. To date, 19 Israeli hostages' remains-including two foreign nationals (Thai and Nepalese)-have been repatriated in exchange for 285 Palestinian bodies.
US response and ongoing hostage crisis
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio acknowledged Chen's return on social media, honoring his life and expressing solidarity with his family. Meanwhile, Israel's Hostages and Missing Families Forum urged continued efforts to recover the seven remaining deceased hostages-five Israelis, one Tanzanian, and one Thai-still held in Gaza.
"Please don't stop until they are all back home. Until the last hostage."
Hostages and Missing Families Forum
Challenges in body identification and stalled peace process
On Wednesday, Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis reported receiving 15 Palestinian bodies from Israel via the Red Cross. Gaza's lack of DNA testing complicates identification efforts. Israel has accused Hamas of intentionally delaying hostage recoveries, while Hamas cites difficulties locating bodies under rubble.
The impasse has halted progress on the second phase of Trump's Gaza peace plan, which includes governance reforms, Israeli troop withdrawal, Hamas disarmament, and reconstruction. A US-drafted UN Security Council resolution proposes a two-year mandate for a transitional Board of Peace and an International Stabilisation Force (ISF) to secure borders, demilitarize Gaza, and train Palestinian police-authorizing "all necessary measures" to fulfill its mandate.
Casualties and ongoing violence
The ceasefire follows Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack, which killed 1,200 people and abducted 251 hostages. Israel's subsequent military campaign in Gaza has resulted in over 68,800 Palestinian deaths, per Hamas-run health officials. On Tuesday, a Gaza City hospital reported an additional fatality in Jabalia from Israeli fire, while the IDF stated it had killed a "terrorist" crossing into Israeli-controlled territory.
