The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israel Security Agency (ISA) announced on Friday that the Red Cross had received the coffin containing the body of the deceased hostage.
The Red Cross is currently moving from its assembly point in southern Gaza to transfer the bodies to IDF forces in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas also confirmed that the transfers had taken place. Spokesman Hazem Qasem said in a statement that Hamas “continues to work hard to complete the entire exchange process.”
Earlier on Friday, the extremist group released the remains of nine of the 28 deceased hostages held in Gaza.
Frustration is growing in Israel over delays in returning the remaining bodies of the hostages, a condition of the cease-fire agreement that took effect last week.
Hamas announced that it had handed over all accessible hostage bodies. Israeli intelligence assesses that Hamas may not be able to locate and return all of the dead hostages remaining in Gaza.
As the dispute over the return of bodies continues, two Israeli officials familiar with the matter say Israel believes it knows the whereabouts of some of the dead hostages that Hamas claims are missing.
Hamas’s militant group al-Qassam Brigades said on Wednesday that recovering the bodies of the remaining hostages in Gaza would require “huge efforts and special equipment.”
Al-Qassam Brigades said in its statement that the group “has complied with the terms of the agreement and handed over all living prisoners and accessible corpses in its possession.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
