The Israel Protection Forces (IDF) on Saturday confirmed the receipt of a coffin containing the physique of a deceased hostage from Hamas, transferred through the Worldwide Committee of the Purple Cross (ICRC) on the Gaza border, as a part of the continuing implementation of the US-brokered ceasefire settlement.
In a submit on X, the IDF said that the physique will bear formal identification on the Nationwide Institute of Forensic Drugs in Tel Aviv.
“The coffin of the deceased hostage, escorted by IDF troops, crossed the border into the State of Israel a short time in the past and is on its option to the Nationwide Institute for Forensic Drugs, the place identification procedures shall be carried out,” the IDF stated within the submit.
IDF officers said that representatives are presently accompanying the households of the hostages and urged the general public to behave with restraint and await official identification.
“The IDF urges the general public to behave with sensitivity and anticipate official identification, which is able to first be communicated to the households of the deceased hostages,” the assertion added.
In an earlier replace, the IDF stated the switch was facilitated by the Purple Cross and reiterated the demand for Hamas to totally adjust to ongoing agreements concerning the return of all hostages.
“Based on info offered by the Purple Cross, a coffin of a deceased hostage has been transferred into its custody and is on the way in which to IDF troops within the Gaza Strip. Hamas is required to uphold the settlement and take the required steps to return all of the hostages,” the IDF stated in a separate submit.
Based on CNN, Hamas has confirmed that it handed over the physique to Purple Cross personnel. In an announcement, spokesperson of the terrorist group, Hazem Qassem, stated that the group would “proceed working to finish your entire alternate course of.”
Earlier than Friday’s switch, Hamas had already returned the stays of 9 out of the 28 confirmed deceased hostages held in Gaza, CNN reported.
Hamas claims it has handed over all of the our bodies it has been capable of find. Nonetheless, Israeli intelligence believes Hamas should still be withholding the places of among the deceased hostages and has the flexibility to return extra stays, in response to two Israeli officers conversant in the scenario, as reported by CNN.
Earlier on Monday, all 20 residing hostages returned to Israel.
As per the Israeli authorities, the hostages had been recognized as Elkana Bohbot, Avinatan Or, Yosef-Haim Ohana, Evyatar David, Rom Braslavski, Segev Kalfon, Nimrod Cohen, Maxim Herkin, Eitan Horn, Matan Zangauker, Bar Kupershtein, David Cunio, Ariel Cunio, Gali, Ziv Berman, Matan Angrest, Alon Ohel, Omri Miran, Eitan Mor, and Man Gilboa-Dallal, and had been safely escorted out of the Gaza Strip by particular Israeli forces after they had been transferred to the Purple Cross by Hamas.
Monday marked the tip of the two-year conflict, which started on October 7, 2023. As per Al Jazeera, Hamas assaults claimed 1,139 lives and resulted within the abduction of round 200 folks.
In the meantime, since October 2023, the battle has resulted in at the least 67,913 deaths and 170,134 accidents, as reported by Al Jazeera.