On Monday, Israel returned the remains of 45 Palestinians, according to health officials in Gaza. This occurred just a day after Hamas had sent back the bodies of three hostages, identified by Israeli authorities as soldiers who lost their lives during the Hamas-led assault on October 7, 2023, which ignited the ongoing conflict.
This exchange represents a significant advancement in the fragile, US-mediated ceasefire amid the two-year-long war, recognized as the most lethal and destructive conflict ever waged between Israel and the militant group Hamas.
Since the ceasefire was initiated on October 10, Palestinian militants have returned the remains of 20 hostages, while eight are still unaccounted for in Gaza.
In response to each hostage released, Israel has been returning the remains of 15 Palestinians. With Monday’s handover, the total number of Palestinian bodies returned since the ceasefire commenced has reached 270.