Gaza: Latest remains returned by Hamas not bodies of hostages, Israel says

The remains of three people handed over by Hamas to the Red Cross this week do not belong to any of the hostages, Israel said Saturday, the latest setback that could undermine a US-brokered ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war.

The handover followed Israel's return on Friday of the bodies of 30 Palestinians to Gaza. That completed an exchange after militants earlier this week turned over remains of two hostages, a sign that the tense Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement was edging forward.

The unidentified remains of the three people were returned on late Friday to Israel, where they were being examined overnight. At the time, a military official warned that Israeli intelligence suggested they did not belong to any of the hostages taken by Palestinian militants during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel that sparked the war. The Israeli official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to talk to the media.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office on Saturday confirmed that the remains did not belong to any of the hostages, without giving further details.

Hamas' armed wing said in a subsequent statement that it had offered to hand over samples on Friday of unidentified bodies, but that Israel had refused to receive them and asked for the remains for examination.

“We handed the bodies over to stop the claims of Israel," the statement said.

It was unclear who the remains belonged to.

Since the US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect on Oct. 10, Palestinian militants have released the remains of 17 hostages that were held in Gaza for the past two years.

But the process of returning the bodies of the last 11 remaining hostages, as called for under the truce deal, is progressing slowly, with militants releasing just one or two bodies every few days.

The total number of Palestinian bodies returned by Israel since the ceasefire began now stands at 225. Only 75 of those have been identified by families, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. It is unclear if those returned were killed in Israel during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack, whether they died in Israeli custody as detainees or were recovered from Gaza by troops during the war.

The fragile truce faced its biggest challenge earlier this week when Israel carried out strikes across Gaza that killed more than 100 people, following the killing of an Israeli soldier in Rafah, Gaza's southernmost city, and the incomplete return of hostages.

A fragile ceasefire

Jordan's foreign minister warned Saturday that Israel's maintaining a military presence in the Gaza Strip puts at risk the shaky ceasefire.

Speaking at the Manama Dialogue security summit, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi added it was “imperative” to have a Palestinian police force maintaining security in the enclave, as an international stabilisation force with a United Nations mandate.

“With Israel staying in Gaza, I think security is going to be a challenge,” Safadi said. “Israel cannot stay in 53 per cent of Gaza and then expect security to be achieved.”

US President Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan includes the formation and deployment of a temporary international stabilisation force made of Arab and other international partners that would work with Egypt and Jordan on securing Gaza's borders and ensuring the ceasefire is respected. The US has ruled out American soldiers in Gaza.

Multiple nations have openly shown interest in taking part in a future peacekeeping force, but have called for a mandate from the United Nations Security Council before committing their troops.

Indonesia could be part of a peacekeeping force

Indonesia, the most populous Muslim nation in the world, has emerged as a strong contender for a Gaza peacekeeping force. During a visit to Asia this week, Trump praised Indonesia's leader for his support for the Middle East deal. Indonesia has offered thousands of troops for Gaza.

“Indeed, we're committed to sending peacekeeping personnel to address the situation in Gaza. But details or the term of reference for that matter remain unclear,” Indonesia's Foreign Minister Sugiono, who like many Indonesians uses a single name, said earlier this week.

“There has to be a mandate from the UNSC, which we hope will be issued. There have been no discussions so far, and we're far from settling any details,” he said in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, after a series of regional meetings, which were also attended by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.

Indonesian military spokesperson Maj. Gen. Freddy Ardianzah said Friday that the number and composition of troops are still at a planning stage.

Indonesian officials have called for an independent Palestinian state but underscored the need to “recognise and guarantee the safety and security of Israel.”