Hamas Transfers Remains of Three Israeli Hostages to Israel Under Gaza Ceasefire

President Donald Trump announced that Hamas returned the body of Omer Neutra, a slain American-Israeli soldier, along with two other deceased hostages, though the White House has not independently confirmed this. Israeli officials confirmed that Hamas transferred the remains of three hostages to the International Committee of the Red Cross under the ongoing ceasefire agreement, with the bodies subsequently handed over to Israeli military personnel for identification. The remains were discovered in a tunnel in southern Gaza, and while Hamas has previously returned bodies that did not match those of missing hostages, formal identification is underway at the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute in Tel Aviv. The Israeli government stated that if confirmed, eight hostages killed in captivity still remain unreturned in Gaza, with efforts continuing to recover all captives. This handover is part of broader humanitarian measures enabled by the temporary truce, which also includes prisoner exchanges and aid deliveries amid ongoing negotiations regarding the conflict's resolution. Families of hostages, including Neutra's, have expressed frustration and grief over delays and uncertainties surrounding the return of remains.