According to a report by Al Jazeera, on October 21, 2025, the Qassam Brigades, Hamas’s armed wing, announced Tuesday that it will hand over the remains of two more Israeli captives at 9pm local time (18:00 GMT) today, continuing the process of returning deceased abductees under the ceasefire agreement.
Since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, Hamas has transferred 13 bodies out of 28 deceased Israeli captives held in Gaza. The latest handover came Monday when the body of Israeli army Major Tal Haimi, 41, was delivered to the Red Cross in Gaza.
The return of remains has been a critical component of the US-brokered ceasefire agreement, which also secured the release of all 20 living captives in a single day, as stipulated in the deal.
The phased return of deceased captives has continued in the weeks following that initial exchange.
The handovers typically occur through Red Cross mediation, serving as a neutral intermediary between Hamas and Israeli authorities.
Each transfer represents a painful moment for families who have awaited news of their loved ones since the captives were taken.
With today’s expected handover, 15 of the 28 deceased captives will have been returned, leaving 13 bodies still unaccounted for under the ceasefire terms.
The pace and timing of these returns have varied since the truce began, with Hamas announcing each transfer shortly before it occurs.
The ceasefire, which ended months of intense fighting, included provisions for the release of living hostages, the return of remains, and other humanitarian measures.
While the exchange of living captives was completed swiftly in accordance with the agreement’s timeline, the return of deceased abductees has proceeded more gradually.
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