Hamas hands over two bodies of Israeli hostages
Shafaq News – Gaza
Two coffins containing the bodies of Israeli hostages were transferred from Gaza and are now en route to Israel, the Israeli military said on Saturday.
According to a post on X by the Israeli army, the transfer was coordinated with the Shin Bet (ISA), and representatives are accompanying the families.
🟡 Two coffins of deceased hostages, escorted by IDF and ISA forces, crossed the border into the State of Israel a short while ago and are on their way to the National Institute for Forensic Medicine, where identification procedures will be carried out.IDF representatives are…
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) October 18, 2025
The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, confirmed that it delivered the two bodies at 10 p.m. Gaza time, stating they had been recovered earlier in the day, without disclosing details about the delivery location or logistics.
The return of the deceased comes after Hamas released 20 Israeli hostages alive since Monday and transferred the remains of 11 others—among 28 Israeli captives killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza—via the International Committee of the Red Cross. Hamas previously noted that the recovery of bodies has been complicated by ongoing Israeli bombardments and a lack of heavy equipment and forensic tools needed to conduct proper searches under the rubble.
On October 18, the Gaza Health Ministry announced the arrival of 15 bodies released by Israeli authorities, some showing signs of abuse and torture.
Before the October 2025 ceasefire, 20 living Israeli hostages were believed to remain in Hamas custody in Gaza—part of the original 251 people abducted. Around 17 deceased hostages are also thought to still be held in the Strip.
The release of hostages is a key component of the US-brokered ceasefire agreement, which outlines a phased exchange involving Israeli captives held by Hamas in return for Palestinian detainees, alongside commitments to halt military operations and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza.
