A casket believed to contain the remains of one of the eight deceased hostages held in Gaza was transferred to Israel by military forces on Tuesday night, following its handover from Hamas to the Red Cross. The body, whose identity is yet to be confirmed, was taken to a forensic institute in Tel Aviv for identification, a process expected to take up to two days. This transfer follows the return of three other hostages' remains earlier in the week, as part of ongoing efforts under a ceasefire agreement requiring Hamas to return all hostages and provide information on their whereabouts.

Officials believe that with continued cooperation, it may be possible to recover all the remaining bodies of hostages held in Gaza. Among those still held is the body of a soldier killed in 2014. Discussions are underway regarding potential exchanges to secure the return of these remains, including the possibility of offering safe passage to Hamas operatives in exchange for the body of the long-held soldier. The process of recovering and identifying the deceased has been slow and complex, involving international assistance and ongoing negotiations.