Hamas said on Tuesday that it had handed over the remains of an unidentified hostage found in central Gaza, which would bring the militant group and Israel a step closer to resolving a major flashpoint of the cease-fire in the Palestinian enclave.
Before the handover, Israel said Hamas had yet to return the bodies of two Israelis and one Thai national still in Gaza: Dror Or, 48; Ran Gvili, 24; and Sudthisak Rinthalak, 43. All three were abducted during the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, which ignited the war.
The International Committee of the Red Cross facilitated the transfer of a coffin to Israeli forces. The Israeli government said the remains were being sent for forensic identification.
Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire in mid-October, ending more than two years of war in Gaza. As part of the truce, Hamas released the remaining 20 surviving Israeli hostages still held in the enclave in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees.
Hamas also agreed to turn over the bodies of about 30 other Israelis and foreign nationals that were still in Gaza. Though Palestinian militants released the living hostages soon after the cease-fire, the remains have been handed over in batches over several weeks.
Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have accused Hamas of dragging its feet and not following through on its side of the deal. Israeli officials say Hamas could hand over more remains but wanted to hold on to the bodies as leverage.
The issue ignited tensions that have rattled the fragile truce, as each side has accused the other of violating the terms of the agreement. Gunmen in Gaza have also shot at Israeli forces, according to the Israeli military, prompting Israeli strikes across the enclave.
Hamas officials have blamed the widespread devastation in the enclave for the delay, saying that some hostages were believed to be buried under rubble after two years of Israeli bombardment. They also say they have struggled to pinpoint the locations of other bodies because the fighters who had buried them earlier in the war had since been killed.
About 250 people were seized during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack, which killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, according to the Israeli authorities. The subsequent Israeli campaign against Hamas killed more than 65,000 people in Gaza, including thousands of children, according to Gazan health officials.
Aaron Boxerman is a Times reporter covering Israel and Gaza. He is based in Jerusalem.
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