Tensions flared again Monday night as Hamas returned the body of a deceased Israeli hostage to the Red Cross, which then transferred the remains to Israeli authorities for identification. It marked the first such return in nearly a week, amid growing frustration in Jerusalem over Hamas’s failure to comply with the U.S.-brokered ceasefire.
Under the agreement reached earlier this month, Hamas was required to return all 48 hostages, both living and deceased, within 72 hours. While 20 living hostages have been freed, 13 bodies remain in Gaza, including fallen soldiers whose names carry symbolic weight in Israel — Lt. Hadar Goldin and Col. Asaf Hamami among them.
The returned remains were reportedly recovered in Gaza City’s Tuffah neighborhood. After receiving the coffin inside Gaza, the IDF draped it with the Israeli flag and held a short military ceremony before sending it to Tel Aviv’s Abu Kabir Forensic Institute for confirmation.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir reiterated that Israel’s mission is not complete until every hostage and body is brought home. “This is a sacred duty,” he said, vowing continued pressure on Hamas.
Meanwhile, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum urged Israel and the United States to suspend the next phase of the Gaza peace plan until Hamas fulfills its obligations. “Two weeks have passed since the deadline, and 13 hostages remain,” the group said.
U.S. President Donald Trump issued a public warning, saying he was “closely watching” Hamas’s actions and expects compliance. Israeli officials are reportedly discussing adjusting the ceasefire line to pressure Hamas further, allowing the IDF to operate deeper into areas once controlled by the terror group if it continues to withhold the remaining bodies.
For many Israelis, the return of even one body is a painful reminder that the war will not be over until every son and daughter comes home.
