Israel said on Monday that the remains of three hostages returned from Gaza the previous night belong to soldiers who were killed in the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, that triggered the war. The positive identification marked another step forward for the tenuous, US-brokered ceasefire.
The military said the men were killed in the attack on southern Israel and that their bodies were dragged by militants back to Gaza. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu identified the three as Caption Omer Neutra, an American-Israeli, Oz Daniel and Assaf Hamami. A Hamas statement earlier said their remains were found on Sunday in a tunnel in southern Gaza. Since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, Palestinian militants have released the remains of 20 hostages, with eight now remaining in Gaza.
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday he had spoken with Neutra’s family, describing their relief and heartbreak. “They were thrilled, in one sense, but in another sense, obviously, it”s not too great,” Trump said. Militants have released one or two bodies every few days. Israel has urged faster progress, and in certain cases, it has said the remains were not those of any hostage. Hamas has said the work is complicated by widespread devastation.
Israel, in turn, has been releasing the remains of 15 Palestinians for each Israeli hostage returned. Health officials in Gaza have struggled to identify bodies without access to DNA kits. Only 75 of the 225 Palestinian bodies returned since the ceasefire began have been identified, according to Gaza”s Health Ministry, which has posted photos of remains in the hope that families will recognise them.
The American-Israeli Neutra was 21 when he died. In the October 7, 2023, attack, he was abducted with the rest of his tank crew. In December 2024, the military announced Neutra had been killed in the attack that started the war. Neutra’s parents were a regular presence at protests in the US and Israel, and addressed the Republican National Convention last year. The militants took the body of Daniel, 19, from his tank, along with three others. He is survived by his parents and twin sister.
Hamami commanded Israel”s southern brigade in the Gaza division and died early on October 7, 2023, in fighting to defend Kibbutz Nirim. According to Israeli media, Hamami was the first person in the military to declare that Israel was at war, less than 10 minutes after the attack began. Hamami and two of his soldiers were killed, and their bodies were taken to Gaza. The other two soldiers’ remains were retrieved in July 2024. Hamami is survived by his wife and three children.
The exchange of hostages for Palestinian bodies has been the central part of the initial phase of the US-brokered ceasefire. The 20-point plan includes the formation of an international stabilisation force of Arab and other partners that would work with Egypt and Jordan on securing Gaza’s borders and ensuring the ceasefire is respected. Multiple nations have shown interest in taking part in a peacekeeping force, but called for a clear UN Security Council mandate before committing troops.
Other difficult questions include Hamas’ disarmament and the governance of a postwar Gaza, as well as when and how humanitarian aid will be increased. Health officials in Gaza say Israel has handed over the bodies of 45 Palestinians. Zaher al-Wahidi, a spokesperson at the Gaza Health Ministry, told the AP that Nasser Hospital in Gaza received the bodies on Monday morning. It comes a day after Palestinian militants returned to Israel the remains of three Israeli troops taken hostage on October.
