Tel Aviv, Nov 4, (dpa/GNA) – Three bodies handed over to Israel by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in Gaza, have been identified as the remains of abducted soldiers.
They are Asaf Hamami, Omer Neutra and Oz Daniel, the Israeli army announced on X on Monday.
The three soldiers were killed fighting Hamas gunmen and other extremists in Israel during the unprecedented attacks on southern Israeli communities on October 7, 2023. Their bodies were then taken to Gaza.
They were handed to the Red Cross on Sunday evening.
The bodies of eight dead hostages are still in Gaza.
In accordance with the ceasefire agreement on October 13, the Islamists released all the living hostages they were holding in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
But the militant group has not handed over the bodies of the dead hostages as quickly as planned.
Hamas says it is difficult to find the dead, because they are buried under the rubble of buildings and tunnels bombed by Israel during its heavy bombardment of the Palestinian territory. Israel has rejected Hamas’ explanation.
GNA