TEL AVIV: The Israeli government announced on Sunday that Hamas has handed over more hostage remains, as ongoing delays in locating bodies beneath the rubble of Gaza threaten the fragile ceasefire brokered by the United States.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed that one of the two bodies transferred by Hamas on Saturday has been identified.
Hamas’s Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades handed over the remains of two hostages, including Ronen Engel, 54, killed during the October 7, 2023, attack. The Israeli army identified Engel’s remains on October 19, with PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s office vowing to recover all deceased hostages’ bodies.
The #Rafah crossing remains closed until #Hamas hands over deceased hostages' bodies. The ceasefire is fragile, aid is limited, and challenges persist over hostages, disarmament, and Gaza's governance.
Read more: https://t.co/h5ww2PciO3 pic.twitter.com/TqznuVDjxU
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) October 19, 2025The US-brokered ceasefire, effective October 10, saw Hamas release all 20 living hostages and 12 deceased, while Israel freed 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and 135 Palestinian bodies. Israel links the reopening of the Rafah crossing to full body recovery, causing delays. Hamas cites rubble challenges, needing technical aid. The UN’s Tom Fletcher pushes a 60-day plan for 1 million daily meals and school reopenings.
#Hamas hands over to #Israel the remains of one more hostage, after insisting it is committed to returning all the dead captives still unaccounted for under #Gaza’s ruins after two years of war.https://t.co/ib1UiVXvWR
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) October 18, 2025Despite the truce, Gaza’s civil defence reported nine deaths, including the Shaaban family, from Israeli tank fire on a bus near the “yellow line.” Israel said it targeted a vehicle breaching ceasefire terms. The US warned of Hamas’s planned civilian attack, threatening the truce.
Read: Hamas Hands Over More Hostage Bodies as Israel Limits Aid to Gaza
The Rafah closure and violence risk derailing the ceasefire, impacting aid and stability. Full hostage recovery is key to progress. For updates, follow Reuters, Al Jazeera, and UN reports.
