JERUSALEM: Since the US-brokered ceasefire in Gaza began Oct. 10, Palestinian militants have released the remains of 26 hostages. But the return of the last two hostages under the agreement’s terms is progressing slowly.
Hamas says it has not been able to reach all of the remains because they are buried under rubble left by Israel’s two-year offensive in Gaza. Israel has accused the militants of stalling and threatened to resume military operations or withhold humanitarian aid if all remains are not returned.
In the most recent release, Palestinian militants returned the remains of Dror Or, who was killed by the militants in Kibbutz Be’eri in southern Israel and abducted to Gaza. His wife, Yonat, was killed during the attack and his two children, Noam and Alma, were abducted and returned to Israel in a November 2023 hostage deal.
In return, Israel has released the bodies of 330 Palestinians back to Gaza. Health officials in Gaza have struggled to identify the bodies without access to DNA kits.
Only 97 have been identified, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government and is staffed by medical professionals, maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by independent experts.
