Israel hands over 45 Palestinian bodies, Hamas returns remains of 3 hostages

Israel on Tuesday, 4 November, handed over the bodies of 45 Palestinians to authorities in Gaza, a day after Hamas returned the remains of three Israeli soldiers killed in the 7 October 2023 attacks that triggered the conflict, according to Gaza health officials.

The exchange is part of a continuing arrangement under the US-brokered ceasefire agreement that took effect on 10 October in the second year of the war.

Gaza’s health ministry stated that the Palestinian remains were received at Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza around midday. The ministry has been posting photographs of the remains online to help families identify them, citing limited availability of DNA testing kits. It said only about 75 bodies handed over since the truce began have been formally identified.

Under the current terms, Palestinian militants have returned the remains of 20 hostages, while Israel has released 270 Palestinian bodies, with officials indicating the ratio is 15 Palestinian bodies for each hostage returned.

Israel identified the three hostages returned on Sunday night as Capt. Omer Neutra, Staff Sgt Oz Daniel and Col Assaf Hamami. The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the remains were located in a tunnel in southern Gaza. Neutra, an American-Israeli, was abducted with his tank crew; the Israeli military announced his death in December 2024. Daniel, 19, and Hamami, a brigade commander, were also killed on 7 October 2023.

Militant groups have been returning one or two bodies at a time, while Israel has called for faster transfers. Hamas has said search efforts are hampered by the scale of damage across Gaza.

Separately, Israel’s military confirmed the arrest of former military legal chief Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, who resigned after admitting to leaking a video showing soldiers assaulting a Palestinian detainee. Police found her safe after her family reported concern for her wellbeing. Former chief military prosecutor Col Matan Solomesh was also detained and appeared in court on Monday. Israeli media described the arrests as part of a wider investigation.

Ceasefire terms and humanitarian efforts

The body-return mechanism is part of the first phase of the ceasefire, which also outlines plans for an international stabilisation force involving Arab and other partners, with Egypt and Jordan expected to play key roles. Several governments have said participation would require a clear UN Security Council mandate.

Humanitarian access and post-war governance arrangements remain under negotiation. UK foreign secretary Yvette Cooper visited Jordan on Monday and urged Israel to increase entry points for aid into Gaza. She said British supplies were waiting to be delivered and announced an additional GBP 6 million in support via the UN Population Fund.

Gaza’s health ministry also announced a vaccination campaign for approximately 40,000 children under three, targeting diseases including measles, polio and meningitis. The campaign will prioritise children who missed routine immunisations during the conflict.

The 7 October 2023 attack by Hamas and other militants killed about 1,200 people in Israel and led to 251 abductions, Israeli authorities say. Gaza health officials report more than 68,800 Palestinian deaths since the start of Israel’s military offensive.

The ministry does not distinguish between civilians and combatants; Israel disputes its figures but has not released its own toll. The ministry is part of Gaza’s Hamas-run administration but is staffed by medical personnel whose casualty reporting has been used by international agencies.

With AP/PTI inputs