Israel Receives Bodies of 2 More Hostages

Though remains have not been identified yet
By Newser Editors and Wire Services
Posted Oct 16, 2025 12:30 AM CDT
Israel Receives Bodies of 2 More Hostages
Mourners walk near the car carrying the coffin of slain hostage Guy Illouz during his funeral procession in Rishon Lezion, Israel, Wednesday, Oct. 15, 2025. Illouz remains were returned from Gaza to Israel as part of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.   (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

Israel received the remains of two more hostages Wednesday, hours after the Israeli military said that one of the bodies previously turned over was not that of a hostage. The confusion added to tensions over the fragile truce that has paused the two-year war. The coffins carrying the remains were transferred by the Red Cross from Hamas. Upon returning to Israel, they were sent to a forensic lab in Tel Aviv. The military in a statement cautioned that the hostages' identities had yet to be verified, the AP reports. If both bodies are confirmed to belong to Israeli hostages, that would leave 19 bodies still unaccounted for as Hamas says it needs more time to reach any further remains, the BBC reports.

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