Israel Identifies Body of 11th Hostage Returned From Gaza
GAZA – Israeli authorities have confirmed the identification of the body of an 11th hostage recovered from Gaza during the ongoing ceasefire,raising the total number of Israeli hostages confirmed dead to 36. The identification comes as Hamas urges mediators to increase humanitarian aid deliveries to Gaza’s 2 million residents, with aid remaining critically scarce despite the truce.
The hostage’s identity was released by Israeli officials Saturday, following the return of 15 bodies of Palestinians to Gaza by Israel, bringing the total number of Palestinian bodies repatriated to 135. Though, the Palestinian bodies were returned without identification, bearing only numbers, prompting Gaza’s health ministry to post photos online in hopes of family identification. The ceasefire agreement, brokered with Qatari and Egyptian mediation, has allowed for the exchange of bodies but has not resolved the ongoing crisis of limited aid access to Gaza.
The Rafah crossing, the only Gaza border crossing not controlled by Israel prior to the conflict, remains closed since being taken over by Israeli forces in May 2024, hindering the movement of palestinians seeking medical care or wishing to visit family in Egypt.
Meanwhile, recovery efforts continue across Gaza’s ruins, with the Palestinian death toll exceeding 68,000 according to the health ministry, and thousands remaining missing according to the Red cross. Civil defense agencies estimate approximately 10,000 bodies are trapped under the rubble of collapsed buildings, a monumental task given the estimated 60 million tonnes of debris across the territory.
