Israel and Hamas have agreed to hand over the bodies of three soldiers killed by Hamas during a raid into Israel on October 7, as part of a ceasefire deal. The transfer is the latest in a series of prisoner exchanges between the two sides since the fragile truce came into effect about three weeks ago.
Hamas has been releasing the remains of Palestinians who were taken back to Gaza after the Israeli raid, and Israel has handed over the bodies of 270 Palestinians whose identities have not been confirmed. The Palestinian health ministry received 45 new bodies at a hospital in Khan Younis on Monday.
The ceasefire deal, brokered by the US, includes the release of all living hostages held by Hamas in exchange for the freedom of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and wartime detainees. Israel has also pulled back its troops, halted its offensive, and increased aid to Gaza.
Under the agreement, Hamas agreed to hand over the remains of all 28 dead hostages. However, the group has released only one or two bodies every few days, citing difficulties in identifying the remaining remains due to the destruction of Gaza's health system.
Only 75 of the bodies transferred since the ceasefire began have been identified by Gaza's health ministry, who are using online photos and fragments of clothes to try to identify them. The Palestinian authorities are also struggling to confirm the identity of the returning bodies without DNA kits or specialist equipment.
The transfer of remains has been a key issue in the conflict, with both sides accusing each other of violating the ceasefire deal. Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said on Sunday that there were still "pockets of Hamas" in parts of Gaza controlled by Israeli forces and vowed to eliminate them.
Despite the progress made, significant obstacles lie ahead, including the future administration of Gaza and demands for Hamas to disarm. The US-brokered plan also includes the formation of an international stabilization force to ensure the ceasefire is respected.
Hamas has been releasing the remains of Palestinians who were taken back to Gaza after the Israeli raid, and Israel has handed over the bodies of 270 Palestinians whose identities have not been confirmed. The Palestinian health ministry received 45 new bodies at a hospital in Khan Younis on Monday.
The ceasefire deal, brokered by the US, includes the release of all living hostages held by Hamas in exchange for the freedom of nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and wartime detainees. Israel has also pulled back its troops, halted its offensive, and increased aid to Gaza.
Under the agreement, Hamas agreed to hand over the remains of all 28 dead hostages. However, the group has released only one or two bodies every few days, citing difficulties in identifying the remaining remains due to the destruction of Gaza's health system.
Only 75 of the bodies transferred since the ceasefire began have been identified by Gaza's health ministry, who are using online photos and fragments of clothes to try to identify them. The Palestinian authorities are also struggling to confirm the identity of the returning bodies without DNA kits or specialist equipment.
The transfer of remains has been a key issue in the conflict, with both sides accusing each other of violating the ceasefire deal. Israel's prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said on Sunday that there were still "pockets of Hamas" in parts of Gaza controlled by Israeli forces and vowed to eliminate them.
Despite the progress made, significant obstacles lie ahead, including the future administration of Gaza and demands for Hamas to disarm. The US-brokered plan also includes the formation of an international stabilization force to ensure the ceasefire is respected.
. I can only imagine how hard it must be for the families of those soldiers and Palestinians who've lost loved ones 
. The fact that Israel has pulled back its troops is a huge step forward 
, but it's also worrying to hear that there are still 'pockets' of Hamas that need to be eliminated 
. I think it's really important for the international community to get involved and help stabilize Gaza, maybe some kind of neutral force could really make a difference 
the conflict is still going on 
, but I'm kinda hopeful 
about the ceasefire deal 
it's a start, right? 
is a small win, even if it's been super slow 
. The US was a big help with brokering the agreement 
and I'm glad they're pushing for an international stabilization force 
. But we gotta keep an eye on things because there are still so many questions 
? Will Hamas really disarm 
? And what about those 2,000 prisoners being freed 
? So many unknowns 
I'm kinda relieved that the ceasefire deal is finally happening, but like, it's been a super long time coming... 
. I mean, we're talking about people who are dead, right? Can't they just get some DNA tests done or something? And what's with all these photos and clothes being used to try and identify them? It's like, come on guys, can't you do better than that?
. Fingers crossed, I guess.
and i'm over here thinking about how much i love those. anyway, back to israel and hamas... i mean, the whole prisoner exchange thing is crazy 
but have you ever tried making one of those paper planes? it's all about the crease 
gotta get that fold just right or it falls apart 
And Israel's all like "we need to eliminate pockets of Hamas" but theyre just creating more instability and suffering for people.