SAEDNEWS: Israeli regime's military confirmed on Wedneday it has received a casket with an apparent body of a captive from the Red Cross.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad said they handed over a body to the Red Cross late Wednesday afternoon.
The Palestinian resistance groups did not reveal the identity of the captive, according to the Times of Israel. If confirmed, the remains would belong to one of the two captives still believed to be in Gaza — either Israeli police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili or Thai national Sudthisak Rinthalak.
Anadolu Agency reported that the transfer is part of the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement, which took effect on October 10. The deal paused a two-year war that has killed more than 70,000 Palestinians and injured over 171,000 since October 2023.
On Sunday, senior Hamas official Husam Badran accused Israel of using the remains issue as “a pretext to avoid fulfilling its obligations” under the ceasefire.
Israel links the start of negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire to the return of all its captives. The regime claims the remains of two Israeli captives are still in Gaza, while Hamas says it has handed over all 20 living captives and the remains of 28 killed.
Meanwhile, Gaza’s Government Media Office reports that 9,500 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces remain missing under the rubble.
