Jerusalem
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Israel on Sunday received the bodies of three more deceased hostages held in Gaza, according to Hamas.
The body was transported to Israel through the Red Cross and taken to the country’s National Forensic Medical Laboratory for identification.
If the bodies are confirmed to be those of the three Israeli hostages, eight deceased hostages will remain in Gaza.
The latest transfer of bodies came after Hamas handed over the bodies of two deceased hostages, identified as Amiram Cooper, 84, and Sahar Baluch, 25, on Thursday night.
Hamas also handed over the remains of three dead people over the weekend, but the remains were not identified as those of any of the deceased hostages, Israeli officials announced Saturday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel is committed to ensuring the return of all the dead hostages. At a weekly cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Netanyahu accused Hamas of being “a pathetic attempt to deceive us, the United States and the world. Of course it will fail and we will gradually bring back all the hostages.”
He added that Israel is still operating against the “Hamas pockets” of Rafah and Khan Yunis, which are under the control of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and “we are systematically eliminating Hamas.”
As the mission to return the remaining dead hostages draws to a close, the Israel Defense Forces announced on Sunday that Maj. Gen. Nizan Alon, head of the Hostage and Missing Persons Directorate, will end his term of office after more than two years at his request.
Aron began his role on October 7, overseeing military efforts to rescue and return the hostages and playing a key role in negotiations to secure their release. The hostages’ families viewed him as one of the most trusted people participating in the operation.
IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said in a statement that the return of the hostages remains a national and moral obligation, stressing that “the mission is not complete while the deceased hostages remain in Gaza. The IDF and security services will continue all efforts to return the hostages.”
This is a developing story and will be updated.
