Red Cross convoy carrying the remains of a person believed to be a deceased hostage handed over by Gaza militants makes its way toward the border crossing with Israel, to be transferred to Israeli authorities, in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, Tuesday, November 25, 2025. ABDEL KAREEM HANA / AP
Israel said the Red Cross had on Tuesday, November 25, handed over the coffin of a hostage held in Gaza, adding that the remains would soon be taken for forensic identification. Before this latest handover, the remains of three deceased hostages were still being held in the Gaza Strip – two Israelis and one Thai national. Hamas and its allies have been handing over the remains of hostages as part of the US-brokered ceasefire deal with Israel that came into force early last month.
"Israel has received, via the Red Cross, the coffin of a fallen hostage," handed over to the Israeli military and security services inside the Gaza Strip, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said in a statement. "From there, it will be transferred to Israel, where it will be received in a military ceremony.
"It will then be transferred to the Health Ministry National Centre of Forensic Medicine. Upon completion of the identification process, formal notification will be delivered to the family. "The families of the fallen hostages have been updated accordingly, and our hearts are with them in this difficult hour. "The effort to return our hostages is ongoing and will not cease until the last hostage is returned."
