Officials at Israel's National Center for Forensic Medicine struggled Tuesday to identify the body of a deceased hostage returned from Gaza Monday night. The DNA of the remains does not match any Israeli hostage, and eventually concluded that the additional remains of a deceased hostage from previous deals . Experts initially believed the difficulties may stem from the condition of the body transferred to Israeli territory. This is not the first time Hamas fails to properly transfer and Israeli hostage despite claiming it had (the previous time was a Gazan's body).
Israeli assessments indicate Hamas can immediately transfer five deceased hostages of out of the remaining 13, with several more requiring additional effort to locate.
More than 100 Gaza border residents gathered to honor the casket of the deceased hostage as the convoy passed through the Nahal Oz junction, including Yael Adar, mother of Tamir Adar whose body was returned six days ago in the previous pulse. "I came here to receive whoever arrives," Yael Adar said. "I wish I could receive all thirteen today. I know how moved I was when they received the convoy when Tamir arrived, and when I discovered after the fact it was him. I understood this is the least I can do for the others. I'll be here until the last hostage. I stand with the families."
A diplomatic source announced Monday that one of 13 deceased hostages would be returned to Israel overnight but the handover, it turns out, was apparently, either deliberately or accidentally was not that of a hostage.
Hamas officially confirmed the deceased hostage would be handed over to Israel through the Red Cross. A source in Hamas's military wing told Al-Jazeera that during searches Tuesday a deceased hostage was found in the at-Tuffah neighborhood and coordination was underway with the Red Cross regarding transfer.
Earlier, Prime Minister's Office spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said, "Israel has been committed to this ceasefire plan for more than two weeks, and so has Hamas. Hamas violated the agreement and did not return all our hostages. Israel received only the bodies of 15 out of 28 murdered hostages. And in the past five days we have received nothing from Hamas. Promises and commitments have been broken. Hamas is still a terrorist organization, and its only motivation for holding the bodies of murdered hostages is to continue torturing their families."
She added, "Hamas committed to President Trump and other Arab leaders that it would stand by this plan, which includes in the first phase the release of all our remaining hostages. Hamas knows where they are located, and there is no other possibility but to return them home. An Egyptian technical team is currently in Gaza to assist in searching for the bodies of the hostages. The team will bring additional equipment to help locate the hostages, including tractor-type vehicles. The Red Cross, the Egyptian technical team and Hamas personnel also received approval to enter beyond the IDF's yellow line in Gaza under close IDF supervision, in order to identify the location of our hostages. Hamas kidnapped them and murdered them. Israel demands the terrorist organization locate them."
US President Donald Trump wrote Saturday evening on his TRUTH account that "We have a very strong PEACE in the Middle East, and I believe it has a good chance of being EVERLASTING," but added a direct warning to Hamas, "Hamas is going to have to start returning the bodies of the deceased hostages, including two Americans, quickly, or the other Countries involved in this GREAT PEACE will take action." Trump added, "Let's see what they do over the next 48 hours. I am watching this very closely.""
