Gaza/Amman, Oct 19: Hamas handed over the remains of another Israeli captive from the Gaza Strip on Friday, saying it needs international support and heavy machinery to recover bodies still trapped under rubble following Israeli strikes.
The armed wing of Hamas, the Qassam Brigades, said the remains were recovered earlier in the day and handed over at 11 p.m. local time (20:00 GMT) via the Red Cross. The group identified the remains as those of an “occupation prisoner,” indicating they belonged to an Israeli captive rather than one of several others of different nationalities taken during the October 7, 2023, attacks.
Israel confirmed it had received the coffin and said it would be transferred to the Ministry of Health’s National Center for Forensic Medicine for formal identification before informing the family. The Israeli military urged the public to act sensitively and wait for official confirmation.
Hamas said it remained committed to the terms of a U.S.-mediated ceasefire deal, including the handover of all deceased captives. “There are still 18 bodies held inside Gaza,” Al Jazeera reporter Hamda Salhut said from Amman, citing Hamas. “Hamas says that they’re waiting for the assistance they need in the form of heavy machinery and teams on the ground.”
The handover comes amid ongoing concerns over the humanitarian situation in Gaza, where infrastructure damage from Israeli strikes has hampered recovery efforts and access to aid. Reporting by Hamda Salhut in Amman; Additional reporting by Reuters staff; Editing by Philippa Fletcher and Colleen Jenkins.
