Israel Receives Bodies of Four Hostages from Gaza as Red Cross Facilitates Exchange

The Israeli military announced that it has received the bodies of four hostages from the Gaza Strip, which will be transferred for identification, according to an army statement released early Tuesday.

Palestinian factions handed over the bodies to Israel through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The transfer took place from central Gaza to the Israeli side, bringing the total number of returned bodies over the past two days to eight, in addition to 20 live hostages who were handed over earlier.

On the same day, the ICRC also received around 45 bodies of Palestinians who were killed during the ongoing Israeli offensive and had been held by Israeli forces. The bodies were transported to Nasser Medical Complex in southern Gaza for examination and identification.

Human rights organizations in Gaza expressed concern over Israel’s failure to provide lists or identifying details of the Palestinian bodies it returned, calling on Israeli authorities to ensure transparency and respect for the rights of victims and their families.

The exchange of bodies and detainees is part of broader humanitarian efforts mediated by the ICRC, amid growing appeals for both sides to adhere to international humanitarian law and ensure accountability in the treatment of the dead and detained.