Gaza – With three deceased hostages still unaccounted for in Gaza, Israel says it has received another set of human remains from Palestinian militants on Tuesday.
According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the remains were handed over through the International Committee of the Red Cross.
They were reportedly found earlier this week in a refugee camp in central Gaza by the militant group Islamic Jihad, an ally of Hamas.
Forensic experts are now working to confirm whether the remains belong to one of the three remaining dead hostages still missing.
International reports say the hostages who have yet to be located include two Israelis and one Thai national.
This latest recovery comes under the fragile ceasefire that began on October 10.
Under the agreement, Hamas must return all living hostages and the bodies of those who have died.
So far, militants have surrendered 25 of the deceased, not including yesterday’s transfer due to still unconfirmed identity.
Despite only a few deceased hostages left to be recovered, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has again accused Hamas of delaying the process, calling it a violation of the ceasefire.
“In light of the Islamic Jihad’s announcement regarding the location of findings related to a deceased hostage, Israel views with severity the delay in their immediate transfer into its hands.”
This constitutes a further violation of the agreement. Israel demands the immediate return of the three deceased hostages still being held in the Gaza strip.”
Hamas, however, says the search for remains has been difficult due to the massive destruction across Gaza.
Meanwhile, violence continues despite the truce.
Gaza’s Health Ministry says Israeli forces killed three Palestinians east of Khan Younis on the same day.
Later that night, the IDF reported killing five militants who emerged from a tunnel in Rafah.
These incidents raise the Palestinian death toll to 345 since the ceasefire took effect.
Meanwhile, more than 69,000 Palestinians in total have been killed since the war began two years ago.