Israel returns 45 Palestinian bodies to Gaza

Israel returned the bodies of 45 Palestinians to Gaza on Monday, bringing the total number handed over under the ceasefire deal to 270, the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory said.

Under a ceasefire deal brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, Israel was to turn over the bodies of 15 Palestinians for every deceased Israeli returned.

Following forensic identification, Israel confirmed Monday that remains handed over by Hamas the day before belonged to three hostages seized by Palestinian militants during the October 7, 2023 attack that sparked the war.

The remains were those of American-Israeli Captain Omer Neutra, 21 years old at the time of his abduction, Corporal Oz Daniel, 19, and Colonel Assaf Hamami, 40, the highest-ranking officer killed by Hamas.

Hamas's armed wing said it had found the remains earlier on Sunday "along the route of one of the tunnels in the southern Gaza Strip".

Hamas had been holding 48 hostages in Gaza when the truce came into effect on October 10, including 20 who were alive.

Since the start of the truce, Hamas has released the 20 surviving hostages and begun handing over the remains of 28 deceased captives.

Of the latter, it has so far returned 20 -- including 18 Israelis, one Thai national and one Nepali.

Israel has accused Hamas of dragging its feet in returning the bodies, while the Palestinian group says the process is slow because many remains are buried beneath Gaza's rubble.

It has repeatedly called on mediators and the Red Cross to provide it with the necessary equipment and personnel to recover the bodies.