Israel, Hamas swap bodies amid growing Gaza tensions
People bury at a mass burial site unidentified bodies of Palestinians who had been held in Israel during the war, after they were handed over by Israel, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, October 22, 2025. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
KUALA LUMPUR: Israel and Hamas have exchanged more bodies of captives under the Gaza ceasefire, though tensions are rising over claims that both sides are failing to fully honour the deal.
According to Al Jazeera, the bodies of two Israeli captives, 85-year-old Aryeh Zalmanovich and army Master Sergeant Tamir Adar, 38, were handed to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Gaza before being returned to Israel on Tuesday night.
Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, coordinated the handover, with the group has so far returned 15 bodies and released 20 living captives as part of the truce.
It said another 13 sets of remains are expected to be recovered, but ongoing Israeli military operations and widespread destruction in Gaza have delayed the process.
Earlier the same day, Israel returned the bodies of 15 Palestinians who died in Israeli detention.
They were taken to the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis for identification.
Under the ceasefire terms, Israel has freed around 2,000 Palestinian detainees and pledged to return the remains of 360 more.
Palestinian rights groups allege that some of the bodies recently returned from Israel showed signs of abuse and possible execution.
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