In a development that has cast a shadow over the already fragile ceasefire in Gaza, Israeli authorities announced on November 1, 2025, that the remains of three individuals recently handed over by Hamas to the Red Cross were not those of Israeli hostages. The revelation, confirmed by Israel’s military after forensic analysis, has further complicated the painstaking process of exchanging bodies and hostages, a central element of the U.S.-brokered truce that has largely held since October 10.
This latest exchange unfolded as part of an ongoing, uneasy arrangement between Israel and Hamas, with both sides accusing the other of dragging their feet or violating the terms. According to the Associated Press, Hamas had offered to provide Israel with samples from unidentified bodies for DNA testing, but Israel declined and insisted on receiving the actual remains for examination. In a statement, Hamas’s armed wing, the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, said, “We handed the bodies over to stop the claims of Israel.”
The confusion over identities is not unique in this conflict. Gaza health officials, hampered by a lack of DNA kits and the widespread devastation across the territory, have struggled to identify many of the deceased. Of the 225 Palestinian bodies that Israel has returned to Gaza since the ceasefire began, only 75 have been identified by families, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals, maintains detailed records that are generally considered reliable by independent experts, though Israel disputes these figures and has not provided alternative data.
The process of returning hostages and bodies has been slow and fraught with setbacks. Since the truce took effect, Palestinian militants have returned the remains of 17 hostages—15 Israelis, one Thai, and one Nepalese. Eleven hostages are still believed to be held in Gaza. The militants have released one or two bodies every few days, and Israel has pressed for faster progress. The return of the three unidentified bodies, which turned out not to be hostages, is just the latest in a series of frustrating developments for families awaiting news of their loved ones.
Emotions have run high on both sides of the border. In Tel Aviv, Yael Adar, mother of the late Tamir Adar, addressed a rally by saying, “The Hamas scum are mocking us.” Meanwhile, in Jerusalem, Moran Harari, a friend of the late Carmel Gat, struck a more somber note, urging restraint: “This cursed war has taken so many lives of dear people on both sides of the fence. This time, we must not fall into it again.”
For many Gazans, the ceasefire has brought only a tenuous sense of relief. Father-of-five Hisham al-Bardai, who recently returned to his home in the Jabalia camp in northern Gaza, described a landscape of devastation. “Despite the widespread destruction in Jabalia camp, people are starting to return, even though the situation is dangerous,” he told AFP. The destruction is so severe that many families, like that of 27-year-old Sumaya Daloul, are still living in tents or makeshift shelters. “I expect the suffering in Gaza to continue for years. There’s no hope for life to return, even partially,” Daloul said.
The ceasefire itself has been repeatedly tested. Earlier in the week, after the killing of an Israeli soldier in Rafah, Israel launched a series of air strikes across Gaza, killing more than 100 people, according to Gaza’s civil defense agency. Hamas denied involvement in the attack that killed the Israeli soldier, but Israel responded with what it called “renewed enforcement of the ceasefire.” A Hamas security source told AFP that Israeli warships had opened fire toward the shores of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, further heightening tensions.
Underlying all of this is the question of what comes next for Gaza. The U.S.-brokered ceasefire plan envisions a multi-phase process, including the disarmament of Hamas, the establishment of a transitional Palestinian authority, and the deployment of an international stabilization force. The proposed force would be drawn from a coalition of mainly Arab and Muslim nations, with support from Egypt and Jordan, to secure Gaza’s borders and prevent weapons smuggling. The U.S. has ruled out sending American troops to Gaza.
Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi, speaking at the Manama Dialogue security summit, warned that Israel’s continued military presence in Gaza threatens the ceasefire. “With Israel staying in Gaza, I think security is going to be a challenge,” Safadi said. “Israel cannot stay in 53% of Gaza and then expect security to be achieved.” He and his German counterpart, Johann Wadephul, emphasized the necessity of a United Nations Security Council mandate for any international peacekeeping force. “We all agree that in order for that stabilization force to be able to be effective in getting the job done, it has to have a Security Council mandate,” Safadi added.
Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation, has offered thousands of troops for such a force, but as Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Sugiono noted, “There has to be a mandate from the UNSC, which we hope will be issued. There has been no discussions so far, and we’re far from settling any details.” Indonesian officials have also called for recognition and guarantees of Israel’s safety and security, even as they urge the establishment of an independent Palestinian state.
The war’s human cost has been staggering. The conflict began with the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which killed about 1,200 people and resulted in 251 hostages. Israel’s subsequent military offensive has killed more than 68,600 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the Health Ministry. The ministry’s numbers do not distinguish between civilians and combatants, and while Israel disputes accusations of genocide and the ministry’s figures, it has not provided its own tally.
As the ceasefire limps forward, with exchanges of bodies and hostages continuing at a slow pace and the future of Gaza’s governance still unresolved, the prospects for lasting peace remain uncertain. The pain of loss is raw on both sides, and the challenges of rebuilding—both physically and politically—are daunting. For families waiting for news, and for those displaced by the violence, hope is in short supply, but the calls for restraint and international engagement suggest that the world is watching closely for the next move in this long and bitter conflict.