The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has acted as a neutral intermediary, accompanying Hamas members into areas of Gaza still under Israeli military control to search for the remains of Israeli hostages. The move came as Hamas delivered the body of another captive on Monday, under the US-brokered ceasefire that took effect on 10 October.
The al-Qassam brigades, Hamas’s military wing, said it would hand over the remains at 9pm local time. Israeli media confirmed that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) were working with the Red Cross to receive the body. If the identity is confirmed, the remains of 12 hostages would remain in Gaza, with Hamas claiming obstacles in locating them amid an estimated 60 million tonnes of rubble.
Sarah Davies, an ICRC spokesperson, said: “At the request of the parties, the International Committee of the Red Cross yesterday accompanied a party to the conflict as the party searched for the remains of the deceased past the IDF-designated ‘yellow line’.” She added that the ICRC was not involved in the search or physical recovery of remains, and confirmed that the party it accompanied was Hamas.
Under international humanitarian law, parties to a conflict are responsible for searching for, collecting, and retrieving human remains. Egyptian teams, authorised by Israel, also joined the search, using excavators and trucks. Footage published by Qatari network Al Araby showed Hamas’s “Shadow Unit” accompanying a Red Cross vehicle near Rafah.
The effort has been complicated by the destruction in Gaza, where at least 10,000 Palestinians are missing under rubble. Hamas says it has lost contact with some units holding captives. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump issued a 48-hour ultimatum on Saturday, warning Hamas to return the bodies of hostages, including two Americans, or face consequences.
