Israel Receives Remains of Four More Gaza Hostages Amid Ceasefire Implementation

The Israeli military announced that the remains of four additional hostages handed over by Hamas on Tuesday had been transferred into Israel from Gaza, following the identification of those returned a day earlier.

The transfer took place under the US-brokered ceasefire agreement aimed at ending the two-year-long war in the Gaza Strip. The remains were first handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) before being delivered to Israel for forensic examination.

“Four coffins of deceased hostages crossed the border into the State of Israel a short while ago,”
the Israeli military confirmed in an official statement.

Authorities noted that the forensic process would determine the exact causes of death for each individual.

Details of the Transfers

The return of Palestinian bodies was part of President Donald Trump’s plan, under which Israel agreed to return 15 Palestinian bodies for every deceased Israeli repatriated.

“A big burden has been lifted, but the job is NOT DONE.
The dead have not been returned as promised. Phase two begins right now!”
— Former US President Donald Trump, on X (formerly Twitter)

The hostages whose remains were handed over on Monday were:

Sharabi’s wife, Nira, expressed sorrow mixed with relief:

“Now we can finally bring closure to the nightmare that began over two years ago and give Yossi the dignified and loving burial he deserves.”

Joshi, a Nepalese agriculture student, was part of a training group that arrived in Israel only three weeks before the Hamas attack. His close friend and fellow trainee, Himanchal Kattel, described how Joshi heroically caught and threw away a grenade hurled into their shelter, saving Kattel’s life.

“Joshi was a courageous student,” said teacher Sushil Neupane.
“We were deeply hoping that Bipin would return home. This news hurts us all… our hope has died.”

The Israeli military stated Joshi was “murdered in captivity during the first months of the war.”

Families of hostages whose remains have not yet been recovered are enduring renewed anguish.

“It’s difficult. Yesterday we were hopeful; today we are shattered,”
said Rotem Kuper, whose father’s remains are still believed to be held in Gaza.

In Tel Aviv, hundreds gathered in Hostages Square — both to celebrate the return of survivors and to urge continued efforts to recover the deceased.

“I don’t know what to feel. I didn’t think we’d reach this day when all the living hostages return,”
said protester Barak Cohen.
“But it’s still very hard knowing so many dead are left behind.”

Another participant, Tovah Baruch, envisioned “a world where all the hostages are back, everyone buried, and we begin a new era of peace.”

Gaza’s Nasser Medical Centre confirmed it had received 45 Palestinian bodies repatriated from Israeli custody. This handover mirrored the exchange ratio detailed in the Trump-brokered agreement.

At least 20 hostages’ bodies remain in Gaza, pending their return under the ceasefire framework.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after visiting freed hostages at Beilinson Hospital, reaffirmed Israel’s commitment:

“We are determined to bring everyone back.”

Hospital director Dr. Noa Eliakim Raz described the physical toll on the released hostages:

“Being underground affects all the body’s systems. There is no fixed timetable for recovery — each individual heals at their own pace.”

Twins Ziv and Gali Berman, both 28 at the time of their abduction, shared their experiences with Channel 12, revealing they had been kept in isolation for months, enduring periods of hunger interspersed with brief access to food.