Israel said the remains of three people returned by Hamas on Friday did not match the deceased hostages.
“The remains we received are not our hostages,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office told The Associated Press after examining the remains. However, neither Netanyahu’s office nor any other Israeli authorities have confirmed the identity of the remains to the AP. It is still unclear who these people were and why they were given to Israel.
Since the US-brokered ceasefire that began earlier this month, Hamas has returned the remains of 17 hostages. There have been cases in which Israel has claimed that Hamas has returned remains that did not match the remaining deceased hostages. Hamas previously returned additional remains of Ofir Tzarfati, whose body was first recovered in 2023.
HAMAS TRANSFER REMAINS OF HOSTAGE WHICH WERE FOUND ALMOST 2 YEARS AGO
The Red Cross carries the body of a deceased hostage, who has been held in Gaza since the deadly attack on Israel by Hamas on October 7, 2023, after being handed over by Hamas, in Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on October 30, 2025. (Ramadan Abed/Reuters)
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has clarified its role in the transfer of the remains of hostages. In a statement, the ICRC said it is “not cooperating in locating the remains.”
“In accordance with international humanitarian law, it is the responsibility of the parties to search for, retrieve and return the dead,” the ICRC said.
RED CROSS RECEIVES TWO CASES OF DECEASED HOSTAGES IN GAZASTRIP, IDF SAYS
Red Cross vehicles arrive to receive from Hamas the bodies of deceased hostages held in Gaza since the deadly October 7, 2023 attack, as part of a ceasefire and hostage-for-prisoner exchange deal, in Gaza City on October 14, 2025. (Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters)
On Thursday, Israel received the remains of Amiram Cooper and Sahar Baruch, leaving 11 deceased hostages in the Gaza Strip, including US citizens Itay Chen and Omer Neutra.
Israeli intelligence agencies suggest Cooper was alive when he was taken from his home in Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7, 2023, attacks. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said they estimate Cooper was killed in February 2024. He was 84 years old. Cooper is survived by his wife, four children and eleven grandchildren.
Participants hold a large banner during a gathering of hostage families and supporters at the “Hostages Square” in Tel Aviv, Israel, on October 18, 2025. (Ilan Rosenberg/Reuters)
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Baruch was taken from his home in Kibbutz Be’eri during the massacre. The IDF said it estimates he was killed on December 8, 2023, at the age of 25. Baruch is survived by his parents and two siblings.
Besides Neutra and Chen, the other deceased hostages include Meny Godard, Hadar Goldin, Ran Gvili, Asaf Hamami, Joshua Loitu Mollel, Dror Or, Oz Daniel, Lior Rudaeff and Sudthisak Rinthalak.
