Israel has returned the bodies of 15 Palestinian prisoners to Gaza in the latest phase of exchanges under last month’s fragile ceasefire, which has been increasingly weakened by the regime’s continued attacks across the coastal territory.
Officials at Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis said the remains were transferred on Wednesday through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to Gaza’s largest functioning medical facility.
Many of the bodies were unrecognizable due to signs of severe torture and mutilation, and without identification or documentation.
According to medical reports, many of the 285 bodies of Palestinians so far returned to Gaza by Israeli authorities under the ceasefire agreement exhibited clear signs of torture and execution, including gunshot wounds to the head.
The Palestinian resistance factions have unequivocally condemned the brutal torture and mutilation of the bodies of Palestinian martyrs by Israeli forces, calling the acts “comprehensive war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
The exchanges form the central component of the first phase of a 20-point truce plan, which requires Palestinian resistance factions to return the remains of all captives.
On Tuesday, Hamas handed over the body of an Israeli soldier taken captive in 2023. Since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, the resistance movement has returned 20 living captives and the remains of 21 others to Israel.
Hamas has said that the process of recovering bodies is being hindered by the massive destruction inflicted by Israeli forces across the besieged Gaza Strip.
In a statement on Tuesday, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said the resistance group was working on “completing the process of handing over the bodies of the Israeli captives despite the difficulties and obstacles.”
“We are working to complete the entire exchange process as soon as possible,” he added.
A Palestinian official slams double standards regarding the bodies of martyrs buried under the rubble in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas has accused Israel of attacking civilians and restricting the flow of humanitarian aid into the besieged territory.
Despite the ceasefire brokered by the US, the regime’s attacks on Gaza have continued, killing dozens of Palestinians. Health officials continue to report deaths from Israeli strikes.
Last week, Israel killed more than 100 people, including 46 children, in Gaza.
IMAGE CREDIT: Nasser hospital employees carry the body of a Palestinian prisoner released by Israel as part of the truce deal, Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip, October 31, 2025. (Photo by AFP)
[ SOURCE: PRESS TV and NEWS AGENCIES ]
