Israel army says Gaza bodies received on Oct 31 not of hostages

JERUSALEM – Israel’s military said on Nov 1 that three bodies it received from Gaza via the Red Cross the previous night were not of hostages held in the Palestinian territory.

The Israeli military told AFP that a forensic analysis revealed the bodies were not those of any of the 11 dead captives still to be handed over as part of a US-brokered ceasefire deal
.

Among the 17 bodies already returned since the start of the ceasefire are those of 15 Israelis, one Thai and one Nepalese national.

Hamas said in a statement on Nov 1 that it had initially offered three samples from unidentified bodies to the Israeli authorities for testing. Israel refused the offer, it said, insisting on the full remains, a condition the group later agreed to.

After the start of the truce on Oct 10, Hamas returned the 20 surviving hostages
still in its custody and began the process of returning the bodies of the dead captives.

Israel accuses Hamas of reneging on the deal
by not returning them quickly enough, but the Palestinian group says it will take time to locate remains buried in Gaza’s ruins. AFP, REUTERS