Israeli
authorities confirm the return of three deceased hostages handed over by Hamas
through the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Jerusalem, Israel | Israel confirmed on Sunday that it had received the remains of three hostages killed in Gaza. The bodies were handed over by Hamas to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and transported to Israel’s national forensic institute for official identification, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.
Context
and Verified Facts
The
transfer took place through the Deir al-Balah crossing in central Gaza on
November 2, 2025, under Red Cross coordination and Israeli supervision.
Among
the deceased is Omer Neutra, 21, an Israeli-American dual citizen and IDF tank
platoon commander, killed during the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks,
according to U.S. President Donald Trump.
“I
spoke to Omer’s parents — they’re relieved in one sense, but of course, it’s
still a tragedy,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on his way back to
Washington.
The
other two victims were identified as Col. Asaf Hamami, 40, and Staff Sgt. Oz
Daniel, 19, both killed in combat on the same day and declared dead months earlier.
Recent
Developments
Last
Thursday, Hamas also returned the remains of Amiram Cooper, 84, and Sahar
Baruch, 25.
On
Saturday, Israel received three additional bodies that did not match any known
hostages, an Israeli official confirmed.
“Israel
remains fully committed to bringing back all our hostages, both the living and
the deceased,” said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his weekly cabinet
meeting.
Netanyahu
accused Hamas of “pathetic attempts to deceive Israel, the United States, and
the world,” adding that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) continue to operate in
Rafah and Khan Younis, areas now under Israeli control.
Institutional
and Human Dimension
Maj.
Gen. (Res.) Nitzan Alon, head of the Hostages and Missing Persons Directorate,
announced the end of his tenure after more than two years leading the recovery
efforts.
IDF
Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said the mission “is not complete while any
deceased hostages remain in Gaza,” calling the return of their bodies “a
national and moral imperative.”
Key
fact: Israel recovered the bodies of three hostages killed in Gaza, including
Israeli-American soldier Omer Neutra.
Regional
Impact and Conclusion
The
return of the bodies marks another step in ongoing humanitarian coordination
amid the post-conflict phase in Gaza. The ICRC reaffirmed its readiness to
facilitate further transfers “whenever security conditions permit.”
Israel’s
stated objective is to recover all remaining hostages’ remains, a cause that
continues to unite families and government officials alike.
This
report was compiled from verified institutional sources, including the
International Committee of the Red Cross, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office,
and official U.S. presidential statements.
By:
Maria Perez | Editor-in-Chief, CRNTimes
Publication
date: November 3, 2025 | Last updated: November 3, 2025 – 8:15 p.m. GMT