The Red Cross on Thursday, January 29, said it facilitated the return of 15 Palestinian bodies to Gaza after the last Israeli hostage was returned to Israel earlier this week.
“The International Committee of the Red Cross today facilitated the return of 15 deceased Palestinians to Gaza … This marks the completion of a months-long operation that reunited families and supported the implementation of the ceasefire agreement,” The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), said in a statement.
According to a report by AFP, as part of the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, brokered by the United States in October 2025, Israel was supposed to return 15 Palestinian bodies in exchange for one body of Israeli captives held by Hamas.
Israel takes possession of the last hostage in Gaza
On January, 26, Israeli forces took possession of Ran Givil, the last hostage in Gaza. “The operation began in October with the release and transfer of 20 living hostages and 1,808 detainees,” the ICRC said.
In a phased manner, the ICRC facilitated the return of the deceased, including 27 out of 28 hostages and 360 Palestinians. The director of Gaza City’s Al-Shifa Hospital, Mohammed Abu Salmiya, confirmed that 15 Palestinian bodies had arrived at the hospital on Thursday.
According to the ICRC, it has facilitated the return of 195 Israeli hostages, including 35 deceased and 3,472 detainees, since October 7, 2023.
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