On Sunday, November 2, 2025, Israel received the remains of three hostages from Gaza, a development that has cast a somber light on the ongoing and fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The bodies, discovered in a tunnel in southern Gaza, were handed over to Israeli authorities by the Red Cross after days of tense negotiations and logistical challenges, according to multiple news outlets including BBC, Sky News, and the Associated Press.
The three hostages were identified as Col. Asaf Hamami, 40; Capt. Omer Neutra, 21; and Staff Sgt. Oz Daniel, 19. All three were Israeli soldiers, with Neutra holding dual Israeli-American citizenship. The confirmation of their identities came after forensic tests conducted at the National Center of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv, as reported by BBC and CNN. The transfer of the remains was solemn, with the Red Cross facilitating the process and the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) ensuring the coffins were transported with dignity and respect.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the nation on Sunday, expressing the government’s condolences. "The government of Israel shares in the deep sorrow of the Hamami, Neutra and Daniel families, and all the families of the deceased hostages," his office stated, as reported by BBC. Netanyahu reiterated his commitment to bringing back every last hostage, saying, "We will not compromise on this and will spare no effort until we return all of the hostages, every last one of them." He also accused Hamas of "pathetic attempts to deceive us, the United States, and the world," promising that these efforts would ultimately fail.
The handover comes amid a month-old ceasefire, brokered in part by U.S. President Donald Trump, which began on October 10, 2025. The ceasefire agreement stipulated that Hamas would return all 20 living hostages and the remains of 28 deceased hostages. All living hostages were released by October 13, 2025, in exchange for the release of 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,718 detainees from Gaza, according to BBC. However, the process of recovering the bodies of the deceased has proven to be fraught with delays, accusations, and heartbreak.
Before Sunday’s handover, 17 sets of remains had already been returned to Israel, but 11 more—including two foreign nationals—were believed to still be in Gaza. The slow pace of the handovers has fueled accusations from Israel that Hamas is deliberately stalling. Hamas, for its part, has cited the widespread devastation in Gaza and a lack of access to DNA kits as reasons for the delays. According to AP, health officials in Gaza have struggled to identify bodies, with only 75 of the 225 Palestinian bodies returned since the ceasefire identified so far.
The exchange of remains has become a central and emotionally charged aspect of the ceasefire’s initial phase. Israel has been releasing the remains of 15 Palestinians for each Israeli hostage’s body returned, a process that has been ongoing since the truce began. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, representing many relatives of those abducted, issued a statement after the latest handover: "There are no words to express the depth of this pain. The hostages have no time. We must bring them all home, now!" (BBC).
US President Donald Trump, who played a key role in brokering the ceasefire, confirmed that he had spoken with the parents of Capt. Omer Neutra. "They’re thrilled, in one sense, but in another sense, obviously, it’s not too great, but we’re very happy to have done it," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One (CNN, AP). Neutra, a Long Island native, was serving as a tank platoon commander when he was killed during the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, the event that ignited the current conflict.
The war, which began with the Hamas attack that killed approximately 1,200 people and saw 251 individuals kidnapped, has since claimed the lives of over 68,800 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s health ministry. These figures, reported by Sky News and AP, do not distinguish between civilian and combatant casualties, and Israel has disputed the numbers without providing alternative data. The devastation in Gaza has complicated efforts to locate and retrieve bodies, with Egypt and the Red Cross using diggers to search through rubble.
Despite the ceasefire, violence has not ceased entirely. Gaza health authorities report that 236 people have been killed in strikes since the truce began, with nearly half occurring on a single day earlier in the week after Israel retaliated for the death of a soldier. On Sunday, a Palestinian man was killed by an Israeli airstrike near a vegetable market in Gaza City’s Shejaia suburb. Israel stated that the strike targeted a fighter posing a threat to its forces. Three Israeli soldiers have also been killed during the truce period (Sky News).
As the process of returning the remaining hostages continues, the focus is increasingly shifting to the broader and more complex issues of Gaza’s future governance, reconstruction, and the disarmament of Hamas. The 20-point ceasefire plan calls for an international stabilization force, involving Arab and other partners, to work with Egypt and Jordan in securing Gaza’s borders and ensuring the ceasefire is respected. Several nations have expressed interest in participating but have insisted on a clear United Nations Security Council mandate before committing troops (AP).
Major General Nitzan Alon, who has led the Hostages and Missing Persons Directorate since the start of the conflict, announced that he will conclude his tenure after more than two years. Alon was regarded as a trusted figure by hostages’ families and played a crucial role in negotiations for their return. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir emphasized that "the return of the hostages remains a national and moral imperative," and that "the mission is not complete while any deceased hostages remain in Gaza" (CNN).
The coming weeks will test the durability of the ceasefire and the willingness of all parties to navigate the difficult path toward peace, justice, and closure for the families whose lives have been upended by two years of relentless conflict.
