Israel receives the remains of three hostages from Gaza as fragile ceasefire holds

An International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) vehicle drives past destroyed building as the search for the bodies of killed Israeli hostages resumes, Gaza City, November 2, 2025. OMAR AL-QATTAA / AFP

On Sunday, November 2, Israel announced that the remains of three hostages had been handed over from Gaza and would be examined by forensic experts, as a fragile month-old ceasefire held. A Hamas statement earlier said the remains were found Sunday in a tunnel in southern Gaza.

Since the ceasefire took effect on October 10 , Palestinian militants had released the remains of 17 hostages, with 11 remaining in Gaza, before Sunday's handover.

Militants have released one or two bodies every few days. Israel has urged faster progress, and in certain cases it has said the remains aren't of any hostages. Hamas has said the work is complicated by widespread devastation. Israel's military said official identification of these remains would be provided to families first.

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