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Israel confirms identities of three hostages' remains returned by Hamas
Israel has verified the identities of three deceased hostages whose bodies were transferred by Hamas through the Red Cross in Gaza on Sunday, according to the prime minister's office. Forensic examinations confirmed the remains as those of Colonel Asaf Hamami, 40, Captain Omer Neutra, 21, and Staff Sergeant Oz Daniel, 19, all Israeli soldiers.
The recovery leaves eight dead hostages-six Israelis, one Tanzanian, and one Thai-still unaccounted for in Gaza. Hamas had committed under a US-mediated ceasefire agreement, initiated over three weeks ago, to return 20 living and 28 deceased hostages in its custody.
Ceasefire tensions and stalled negotiations
Israel has accused Hamas of intentionally delaying the handover of deceased hostages' remains, while Hamas claims logistical challenges, including locating bodies beneath rubble, have hindered progress. The impasse has frozen discussions on the ceasefire's second phase, which includes governance plans for Gaza, Israeli troop withdrawals, Hamas disarmament, and reconstruction efforts following two years of devastating conflict.
The al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed faction, stated the three sets of remains were recovered "along the route of one of the tunnels in the southern Gaza Strip" before being transferred to the Red Cross on Sunday evening. Israeli forces received the bodies in Gaza and transported them to Tel Aviv's National Centre of Forensic Medicine for identification.
Military backgrounds and family tributes
Colonel Hamami, a father of three, commanded the IDF's Southern Brigade in Gaza and was among the first responders to the Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on 7 October 2023. The IDF described him as "the first to declare war" before his death in combat near Kibbutz Nirim.
Captain Neutra, an Israeli-American dual citizen born in the US, served as a platoon commander in the IDF's 7th Brigade. He was killed near Gaza's perimeter, and his body was abducted by Hamas. Staff Sergeant Daniel, of the 7th Armoured Brigade, met a similar fate during clashes with Hamas militants.
"The government of Israel shares in the deep sorrow of the Hamami, Neutra, and Daniel families, and all the families of the deceased hostages."
Israeli Prime Minister's Office
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum expressed solidarity with the bereaved, stating, "There are no words to express the depth of this pain. The hostages have no time. We must bring them all home, now!"
Ongoing violations and casualties
Both sides have traded accusations of ceasefire violations since the truce began on 10 October. On Sunday, an Israeli airstrike killed a man in northern Gaza, per the Hamas-run health ministry. Israel's military justified the strike, citing a "terrorist" crossing the "Yellow Line"-a demarcation for Israeli-controlled territory-posing a threat to troops.
Under the original deal, Hamas pledged to return all hostages within 72 hours. While living Israeli hostages were released on 13 October in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,718 Gaza detainees, Israel has since received 18 Israeli remains and those of two foreign nationals (Thai and Nepalese) in exchange for 225 Palestinian bodies.
Human cost of the conflict
The 7 October attack saw 251 people abducted and 1,200 killed in southern Israel. Israel's subsequent military campaign in Gaza has resulted in over 68,800 deaths, according to Gaza's health ministry.
