Gaza/Tel Aviv, 28 October 2025 (dpa/MIA) - The Palestinian Islamist militia Hamas in the Gaza Strip on Monday handed over another body, believed to be that of an Israeli hostage, to staff from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

The remains are on the way to representatives of the Israeli military, Israel's army announced in the evening.

The body will then be brought to Israel, where it will undergo forensic examination to confirm its identity.

As part of the first phase of the US-led peace plan, Hamas is required to hand over a total of 28 bodies. If the latest remains are identified as those of a hostage, this would mean 12 hostage bodies remain in Gaza.

The Islamist terrorist organization had already released all living hostages on October 13 in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas slow to hand over bodies

Hamas has been slow to hand over the remains. It claims that locating the dead is difficult because they are buried under the rubble of bombed buildings and tunnels.

A spokeswoman for the Israeli government called this a lie, stating that Hamas is capable of finding the remains. Two bodies of hostages were handed over last Tuesday.

Trump increases pressure

The Israeli group, Hostages and Missing Families Forum, also emphasized in a statement on X that "Hamas knows exactly where every one of the deceased hostages is held."

The families appealed to the governments of Israel and the United States, as well as to the mediators of the ceasefire, not to proceed with the next phase of the US peace plan until all hostages have been handed over to Israel.

A precise timetable for the next phase has not yet been established. On Saturday, Trump warned Hamas to quickly hand over the remaining dead hostages, saying: "Let's see what they do over the next 48 hours."

Photo: EPA archive