New Delhi, Oct 15: Hamas has returned the bodies of four additional Israeli captives to the Red Cross, raising the total number of deceased hostages handed over to eight, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) said. The remains were transferred in coffins late Tuesday and delivered to the Israeli military, reports Al Jazeera and international media.
The move follows warnings from Israel that it would restrict humanitarian aid into Gaza until all 28 deceased hostages were returned. Israel has so far allowed only half the agreed number of aid trucks into the territory and delayed the opening of the Rafah Crossing, citing the slow release of the dead captives.
Meanwhile, the Red Cross confirmed the return of 45 deceased Palestinians previously held in Israel, part of the ongoing post-ceasefire exchanges. Under US President Donald Trump’s ceasefire plan, all 48 hostages were to be repatriated by Monday. While all living hostages have been released, pressure is mounting on both Hamas and Israel over the 20 deceased captives still in Gaza, the BBC reported.
