Israel on Monday handed over 45 Palestinian bodies, the Red Cross said, a day after militants returned the remains of three Israeli hostages. Israeli officials identified the hostages as troops killed during the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack that triggered the war.
According to The Associated Press, the exchange is part of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire aimed at easing the two-year conflict — the deadliest and most destructive between Israel and Hamas. Since the truce began on Oct. 10, Palestinian militants have returned the remains of 20 hostages, with eight still held in Gaza.
For each Israeli hostage returned, Israel has handed back the bodies of 15 Palestinians, bringing the total to 270 Palestinian remains released since the ceasefire started.
The Red Cross facilitated Monday’s transfer, with Gaza’s Nasser Hospital receiving the bodies around noon, according to Zaher al-Wahidi of the Gaza Health Ministry. Only 78 of the returned bodies have been positively identified due to limited DNA testing capabilities in Gaza.
The three Israeli hostages returned Sunday were Capt. Omer Neutra, an American-Israeli; Staff Sgt. Oz Daniel; and Col. Assaf Hamami. Hamas said their remains were found in a tunnel in southern Gaza.
“They were thrilled, in one sense, but in another sense, obviously, it’s not too great,” President Donald Trump said after speaking with Neutra’s family.
Daniel, 19, and Hamami, commander of Israel’s southern brigade, were both killed in the Oct. 7 attack. Neutra was also 21 when abducted. All three were killed during the fighting that sparked the war.
Meanwhile, Israel has been rocked by a political scandal involving the military’s former legal chief, Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, who resigned after admitting to leaking a video showing Israeli soldiers sexually assaulting a Palestinian detainee. She was arrested overnight, along with former chief military prosecutor Col. Matan Solomesh. Both appeared in court Monday.
The exchange of hostages for Palestinian bodies remains central to the ceasefire’s initial phase, which also includes plans for an international stabilization force to monitor Gaza’s borders alongside Egypt and Jordan. Nations have expressed interest but want a UN Security Council mandate before committing troops.
Other key issues under discussion include Hamas’ disarmament, postwar governance of Gaza, and expansion of humanitarian aid.
U.K. Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, visiting Jordan Monday, urged Israel to allow more aid into Gaza and announced £6 million ($7.9 million) in additional support for humanitarian efforts. Cooper said:
“Humanitarian support is desperately needed and the people of Gaza cannot afford to wait.”
Gaza’s Health Ministry also announced a vaccination campaign for some 40,000 children under three to protect against preventable diseases like measles, polio, and meningitis. Many children missed routine doses due to the war.
The conflict has killed about 1,200 Israelis and more than 68,800 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. Israel disputes these Palestinian figures but has not provided its own comprehensive toll.
