Gaza/Tel Aviv, October 28 (Udaipur Kiran) — The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Monday night received the body of a hostage from the militant group Hamas in Gaza and handed it over to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The IDF later transferred the remains to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute in Tel Aviv for identification, Israeli police confirmed.
According to a report by The Times of Israel, Hamas stated that it had given the remains of one hostage to the Red Cross late Monday night. The group is reportedly accelerating its efforts to locate hostage bodies after warnings from both the United States and Israel.
If the recovered body is confirmed to belong to one of the hostages, the total number of deceased hostages in Gaza will reduce to 12. Israel has accused Hamas of failing to comply with the ceasefire terms agreed upon on October 10.
Under the agreement, Hamas was required to return all 48 hostages—both living and deceased—within 72 hours. While the group has released 20 living hostages, it has so far returned only four of the 28 bodies within the stipulated time frame.
In its statement, Hamas said that it discovered the remains of a hostage during a search operation on Monday in the Tuffah area of Gaza City. However, it did not provide any further details. Al Jazeera reported that the body was found in northern Gaza during a local search operation.
Channel 13 cited Israeli intelligence sources as saying that Hamas could still locate the remains of 10 out of 13 deceased hostages believed to be hidden in Gaza. Among them are Colonel Asaf Hamami and Lieutenant Hadar Goldin — both considered symbols of heroism in Israel. The report claimed that Hamas is deliberately withholding their bodies.
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem dismissed Israel’s allegations, calling them “false,” and said the group does not know the exact locations of the bodies. Meanwhile, IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir reiterated on Monday that the war will not end until every last hostage’s body is brought home.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum also urged that the next steps in the U.S.-mediated Gaza peace plan be suspended until Hamas returns all remaining bodies.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.