JERUSALEM: The remains of three people handed over by Hamas to the Red Cross this week do not belong to any of the hostages, an Israeli military official said Saturday, the latest development that could undermine the US-brokered agreement for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.
The handover followed Israel’s return on Friday of the bodies of 30 Palestinians to Gaza. That completed an exchange after militants earlier this week turned over remains of two hostages, a sign that the tense Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement was edging forward.
The unidentified remains of the three people were returned late Friday to Israel, where they were being examined overnight. At the time, another Israeli military official warned that Israeli intelligence suggested they did not belong to any of the hostages taken by Palestinian militants during the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel that sparked the war.
The second Israeli military official confirmed on Saturday they were not of any hostages. It was unclear who they might be and why they were returned to Israel.
Both officials spoke to The Associated Press of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
