Four Gaza hostage bodies handed to Red Cross

Vehicles of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) leave with the second batch of released Israeli hostages released by Hamas in the south of Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip, on Monday. AFP

The bodies of four Israeli hostages who died in captivity in Gaza were handed over to the Red Cross by Hamas on Monday.

“The Red Cross has received two coffins of deceased hostages and are on their way to IDF and ISA forces in the Gaza Strip, where the two additional coffins of deceased hostages, that were received earlier, are located,” the military said.

Earlier on Monday, Hamas freed all 20 surviving hostages it had been holding since October 7, 2023, as part of a ceasefire agreement brokered by US President Donald Trump.

In return, Israel released 1,968 prisoners and detainees, mostly Palestinians, the prison service said.

Hamas still holds the remains of 24 deceased hostages, which it has agreed to return to Israel as part of the ceasefire deal.

“Hamas is required to uphold the agreement and take the necessary steps to return all the deceased hostages,” the military said.