On Sunday, November 3, 2025, the Israeli government confirmed it had received the bodies of three Israeli hostages from Gaza, marking another somber chapter in the ongoing conflict and fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. The remains, transferred via the Red Cross in the southern part of the enclave, belonged to Captain Omer Neutra, a 21-year-old U.S.–Israeli dual citizen from Long Island; Sergeant Oz Daniel, 19; and Colonel Assaf Hamami, 40, commander of the Gaza Division’s Southern Brigade. All three were killed during the Hamas-led assault on October 7, 2023—a day that not only launched the current war but also left deep scars on both sides of the border, according to statements from the Israeli Prime Minister's Office and coverage by BBC and AP.
The handover was part of the initial phase of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement that began on October 10, 2025, and has since seen a series of exchanges between the two sides. As reported by AP and CNN, the transfer of the three soldiers’ bodies was met with a mixture of relief and grief for their families and the broader Israeli public. Forensic tests at Israel’s National Centre of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv confirmed the identities of the deceased, bringing a measure of closure to their loved ones after more than two years of uncertainty and anguish.
In return for the three Israeli hostages, Israel handed over the bodies of 45 Palestinians to officials in Gaza, bringing the total number of Palestinian remains returned since the ceasefire began to 270, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry, struggling with limited resources, noted that only about 75 of these bodies have been positively identified due to a shortage of DNA testing kits. Gaza’s health workers have posted photographs of the returned remains online in an effort to help families recognize their relatives—a process fraught with heartbreak and frustration.
The remains of the Israeli soldiers were reportedly found “along the route of one of the tunnels in the southern Gaza Strip,” according to Hamas’s military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades. The bodies were first handed to the Red Cross by Hamas and then transferred to Israeli forces for identification. The Hostages and Missing Families Forum in Israel, representing the families of those still unaccounted for, said it “bows its head in sorrow and shares in the profound grief” of the families, adding, “There are no words to express the depth of this pain. The hostages have no time. We must bring them all home now,” as quoted by BBC.
The ceasefire agreement, brokered with significant international involvement, particularly from the United States, called for Hamas to return all 20 living and 28 dead hostages. So far, 18 Israeli hostages and two foreign nationals—a Thai and a Nepalese citizen—have been returned. Yet, eight bodies are still believed to be held in Gaza, including six Israelis, one Tanzanian, and one Thai. All living Israeli hostages were released on October 13, 2025, in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,718 detainees from Gaza, according to AP and CNN. The slow pace of body recoveries has become a sticking point in negotiations, with Hamas citing widespread devastation and rubble as obstacles, while Israel accuses Hamas of deliberate delays.
The gradual handover of bodies—usually one or two every few days—has created an agonizing wait for families on both sides. According to AP, the Israeli military has insisted that official identification of remains is provided to families first, a practice that has become routine as the number of exchanges grows. For many, the uncertainty is unbearable. Weekly rallies in Jerusalem, organized by families and supporters of the hostages, have become a common sight. At one such rally, Moran Harari, a friend of the late Carmel Gat, urged restraint and peace, saying, “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.”
The fates of the three soldiers returned this week are emblematic of the war’s brutality. Colonel Hamami, a seasoned commander, was among the first to respond on October 7, 2023, and was killed near Kibbutz Nirim. Captain Neutra, serving as a platoon commander in the IDF’s 7th Brigade, was killed near the Gaza border, while Staff Sergeant Daniel, also in the 7th Brigade, died during fighting close to the Gaza perimeter. Their bodies were taken by Hamas and only now returned, bringing a painful closure to their families after years of waiting, as detailed by CNN and AP.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking at a cabinet meeting on Sunday, reaffirmed Israel’s commitment to retrieving all hostages and eliminating remaining Hamas strongholds in Rafah and Khan Younis. “Hamas strongholds still exist,” he acknowledged, adding, “They will be eliminated.” Netanyahu also accused Hamas of “pathetic attempts to deceive us, the United States, and the world. They will, of course, fail, and we will gradually bring back all our hostages.”
The ongoing exchanges have been a central part of the ceasefire’s first phase, but the slow progress has stalled talks on the second phase, which is set to address Gaza’s future governance, Israeli troop withdrawal, Hamas disarmament, and large-scale reconstruction. The 20-point plan, according to AP, envisions an international stabilization force composed of Arab and other partners, working alongside Egypt and Jordan to secure Gaza’s borders and ensure the ceasefire is respected. However, the details remain contentious, with many nations seeking a clear U.N. Security Council mandate before committing troops.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza continues to deepen. Health officials in the enclave announced plans to launch a vaccination campaign for about 40,000 children under three next week to prevent diseases such as measles and polio. The need for basic medical supplies, including DNA testing kits, remains acute. The Gaza Health Ministry, part of the Hamas-run government, has reported more than 68,800 Palestinian deaths since the war began—a figure Israel disputes but has not contradicted with alternative data.
On the Israeli side, the Hostages and Missing Persons Directorate, led by Major General (Res.) Nitzan Alon since October 7, 2023, announced his departure after more than two years in the role. Alon was widely regarded as a trusted figure by the hostages’ families and played a key role in the negotiations. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir emphasized that the mission to return all hostages remains a “national and moral imperative.”
As the ceasefire holds—albeit tenuously—families on both sides of the conflict continue to wait for news, clinging to hope for closure and a future where such tragedies might finally be consigned to history.
