The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed on Thursday that it had facilitated the transfer of three bodies to Israeli authorities “at the request and with the approval of the parties”, marking the first such returns since the resumption of fighting.
The organization said it was acting in its role as a neutral intermediary and stressed that the identification of the remains will be carried out by Israeli authorities. The ICRC “does not participate in locating the remains,” the report said.
The humanitarian group added that its involvement was limited to facilitating the transfer and reiterated that under international humanitarian law it is the responsibility of the parties to locate, retrieve and return the dead.
The transfer marks a rare example of coordination between the sides since hostilities resumed earlier this month, as humanitarian organizations continued to call for wider access to affected areas.
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Hamas handed over the bodies of two more Israeli hostages to officials of the International Committee of the Red Cross to be transferred to Israel via the Kissufim border crossing in the central Gaza Strip on October 21, 2025. (Alaa YM Abumohsen/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The ICRC has previously monitored similar exchanges in conflicts involving Israel and armed groups in Gaza and Lebanon, typically acting only as an intermediary to ensure compliance with international humanitarian law.
“The parties must take action to ensure their return to their families,” the ICRC said, adding that it can only fulfill its neutral role “through cooperation of all relevant parties and within the framework of the current agreement.”
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Israeli soldiers stand by their tanks along the Israel-Gaza border, seen from southern Israel on October 10, 2025, after Israel and Hamas agreed to a pause in their war and the release of the remaining hostages. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
Israeli officials have not yet released details about the identity of the deceased or the circumstances of the transfer.
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A drone shot shows participants holding a large banner during a rally held by hostage families and supporters at Hostages Square to demand the immediate release of the bodies of the deceased hostages kidnapped during the deadly October 7, 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 18, 2025. (Ilan Rosenberg/Reuters)
The ICRC’s involvement in body transfers dates back decades and often served as one of the few remaining channels of communication between adversaries in times of active conflict.
