Gaza City: Hamas has handed over more bodies of deceased hostages to Israel, marking modest progress in the fragile ceasefire process, officials confirmed on Tuesday.
The transfer comes amid renewed tensions after Israel announced a sharp reduction in humanitarian aid entering Gaza. The government said the cut aims to penalise Hamas for violating the ceasefire terms. These terms are related to the handover of hostages’ remains.
According to the Israeli military, four coffins were received from the Red Cross at a meeting point in northern Gaza late Tuesday. The bodies were escorted into Israel for forensic identification.
Hamas also confirmed the exchange. “Our teams are overseeing the implementation of the agreement regarding the handover of bodies as part of efforts to end the Gaza war,” said Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem in a statement.
President Trump demanded that Hamas return the bodies of deceased hostages and threatened the militant group with retaliation if it does not lay down its arms.
“If they don’t disarm, we will disarm them," he said Tuesday. "They know I’m not playing games" https://t.co/sr4W0LSD7S pic.twitter.com/YykMbIt8oo
— Bloomberg (@business) October 14, 2025So far, Hamas has returned eight coffins containing deceased hostages. Nineteen others remain missing or presumed dead, with one still unaccounted for inside Gaza.
Following the partial handover, Israel decided to cut the number of aid trucks entering Gaza by half starting on Wednesday. Officials said the move responds to Hamas’s alleged breach of the ceasefire deal. Plans to open the southern Rafah crossing to Egypt have also been delayed.
Hamas hands over hostage bodies after Israel threatens aid cut
Hamas has now handed over eight coffins of dead hostages, leaving at least 19 presumed dead and one unaccounted for still in the Gaza Strip.https://t.co/uJ0yDLvCqk
— The Kathmandu Post (@kathmandupost) October 15, 2025Israel’s two-year military campaign has left much of Gaza in ruins. Famine conditions persist in several areas, affecting more than half a million Palestinians. Humanitarian groups had expected up to 600 trucks of aid daily under the ceasefire, but those plans are now uncertain.
Read: 10 Key Takeaways from Trump’s Historic Address to the Israeli Knesset on Gaza Peace
The developments come just days after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a new plan to end the Gaza conflict. However, optimism faded quickly as both Hamas and Israel hardened their stances.
Trump warned Hamas to disarm or face potential U.S. military action, saying, “If they don’t disarm, we will disarm them quickly and perhaps violently.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that the war would not end until Hamas surrendered its weapons. Furthermore, he insisted they relinquish control of Gaza, a condition the group continues to reject.
