Israel Says Four Hostage Bodies Still Missing in Gaza, Presses Hamas for Return

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Israel does not know the location of four of the remaining 13 bodies of hostages still held in Gaza, as pressure mounts on Hamas to resume returning the remains under the cease-fire and hostage-release agreement, according to Israeli sources familiar with the talks.

The Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported that Jerusalem has conveyed to Washington “the utmost importance” of recovering the remaining bodies. Days have passed without Hamas handing over any additional deceased hostages, despite mediation by the United States, Egypt, and Qatar.

During U.S. Vice President JD Vance’s visit to the region last week, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir underscored the sensitivity of the issue, citing Israel’s decade-long effort to locate the remains of Hadar Goldin, a soldier killed in 2014 whose body is among those yet to be recovered.

Hamas officials claim the group has not been able to locate all of the bodies and has not returned any since Tuesday, saying ongoing combat and debris in northern Gaza make recovery difficult.

On October 19, Hamas’ armed wing said it had located one hostage’s body that would be delivered “if conditions allowed.” Earlier, on October 15, Hamas handed over eight coffins of deceased hostages; Israeli officials said one was later determined not to belong to a hostage.

MANY REMAINS

A senior U.S. official told reporters that “many remains” are still buried beneath rubble and that heavy machinery is required for recovery operations. In Gaza, Palestinian authorities have been burying bodies recently returned by Israel amid unverified claims that many were “unrecognisable.”

Diplomatic sources and analysts say the unresolved issue of the 13 remaining bodies is now one of the most delicate aspects of the fragile truce between Israel and Hamas.

They warn that failure to complete the handover could strain the cease-fire and complicate humanitarian coordination in Gaza.

Israeli military officials have repeatedly said the war will not be considered over until the bodies of all hostages are recovered. Hamas, for its part, maintains that Israeli bombardment and restrictions on movement hinder its ability to locate and transport remains.

The current truce framework — brokered by Washington, Cairo, and Doha — requires Hamas to return the bodies of deceased hostages alongside living captives. Israeli officials say compliance has slowed since mid-October.

BROADER EFFORT

Vice President Vance’s visit was part of a broader U.S. effort to stabilise the cease-fire, ensure continued humanitarian access, and press Hamas for progress on both living and deceased hostages.

More than 250 hostages were taken into Gaza on October 7, 2023, when Hamas killed about 1,200 people in Israel, sparking the current war in Gaza.

Analysts expect U.S., Egyptian, and Qatari mediators to intensify efforts this week to secure the return of the remaining bodies.

Western officials caution that if no progress occurs soon, Israel could reconsider aspects of the truce or restrict aid convoys into Gaza amid ongoing Israeli concerns that relief goods are seized by Hamas, which is designated a terrorist organisation by Israel and most of its allies.

For families of the missing, the impasse remains agonising. “Every day without news feels like losing them again,” said one relative of a disappeared hostage in Tel Aviv.

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