Hamas to hand over 13th captive body Sunday 'if field conditions allow'

Ahram Online , Sunday 19 Oct 2025

Hamas said it had recovered the body of an Israeli captive and would hand it over later Sunday "if field conditions allow", as Israel had committed dozens of violations of the ceasefire in Gaza since it took effect on 10 October.

People and members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) watch as Palestinians use an excavator to dig deep into the ground, searching for bodies in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. AFP

"Today, the Al-Qassam Brigades found the body of one of the Israeli hostages during ongoing search operations," the group's armed wing said on its Telegram channel.

If the handover goes ahead, it will mark the 13th deceased captive returned by Hamas since the truce took effect last week. Since 10 October, Israel has received 20 living captives. By Saturday night, Hamas had also returned the bodies of 12 of the 28 deceased captives.

Still, Hamas has warned that ongoing Israeli strikes and restrictions on heavy equipment needed to clear rubble have hindered efforts to recover the remaining bodies of Israeli captives.

Hamas's statement came as the Gaza Government Media Office reported that Israel had committed 47 documented violations since the ceasefire took effect. These violations included direct gunfire at civilians, airstrikes, and the arbitrary arrest of Palestinians.

The office noted that 38 Palestinians had been killed and 143 injured in these incidents, describing them as a continuation of Israel's "aggressive policy despite the declaration of the war's end."

The current ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal—brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, and based on a US proposal—was agreed on 9 October and took effect the following day.

The first phase of the agreement included a formal end to the war, the withdrawal of Israeli forces to the "Yellow Line," the return of Israeli captives (both living and deceased), and the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

On Sunday, Israel returned the bodies of 15 Palestinians to Gaza, bringing the total number handed over to 150, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Families in Gaza have faced significant difficulties in identifying the bodies of their loved ones, as many have been returned bound, mutilated, and showing signs of torture and possible organ theft.

The fragile ceasefire in Gaza appeared to be on the brink of collapse on Sunday, after Israel launched airstrikes on Rafah in the south and Jabalia in the north. At least two people were killed and others were injured, according to media reports.