Israel returns bodies of 15 Palestinians to Gaza as ceasefire exchange continues

Officials at Gaza’s Nasser Hospital confirmed Wednesday that the bodies of 15 Palestinians were handed back by Israel, part of an ongoing exchange process established under last month’s fragile ceasefire agreement.

Since the deal was reached, the International Committee of the Red Cross has transferred 285 bodies from Israeli custody into Gaza. However, health workers say identifying many of the remains has been difficult due to a shortage of DNA testing supplies.

Israel has not stated how many Palestinian bodies it continues to hold, nor where the remains were originally retrieved. Under the current arrangement, Israel has been returning 15 bodies each time Palestinian militants release the remains of an Israeli hostage.

The latest exchange followed the return of the body of Israeli soldier Itay Chen, who was killed during the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack that sparked the war. His family described the news as emotionally painful yet important for closure, and called for continued investigation into how the attack occurred.

Despite the exchanges moving forward, accusations of ceasefire violations persist, underscoring the fragility of the current truce and the deep wounds that remain on both sides.