(MENAFN) Israeli authorities have received the remains of three Israeli captives from the Gaza Strip, delivered by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), reports said Friday. The bodies were sent to the National Forensic Institute for examination. No additional details were provided regarding the circumstances of the transfer.

Since a ceasefire began on October 10, Hamas has released 20 living Israeli captives and handed over the remains of 19 of 28 individuals, most of whom were Israeli. Israel noted that one of the returned bodies did not match any of its recorded captives.

According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, Israeli military actions since the ceasefire have killed 211 Palestinians and injured 597 others. Israel has linked the start of negotiations for the second phase of the ceasefire to the complete handover of all hostage remains, while Hamas has emphasized that the process requires time due to extensive destruction in Gaza.

The first phase of the agreement includes releasing Israeli hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, along with plans for Gaza’s reconstruction and the establishment of a new governance structure excluding Hamas.

Since October 2023, Israeli attacks in Gaza have reportedly resulted in more than 68,500 deaths, primarily women and children, and over 170,600 injuries.

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