Israel Returns 15 Palestinian Bodies To Gaza

Israel has returned the bodies of 15 Palestinians to Gaza, the health ministry in the Hamas-run enclave said on Saturday, as part of a continuing ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement between both sides. The latest handover brings the total number of bodies returned to 135 since the truce began.

The repatriation is part of a ceasefire arrangement brokered by US President Donald Trump, which stipulates that Israel must return 15 Palestinian bodies for every deceased Israeli handed over by Hamas. The deal aims to ease tensions following months of hostilities that have devastated large parts of Gaza and displaced thousands of residents.

Hamas recently handed over the bodies of four Israeli hostages captured during the conflict, three of whom have now been identified by their families after forensic confirmation. Among them was Staff Sergeant Tamir, a soldier captured at age 18 from a military base near the Gaza border. Late on Friday, the militant group also returned the body of another Israeli hostage, increasing the total number of returned hostages to ten, nine Israelis and one Nepalese student.

Officials say the exchanges are intended to provide closure to grieving families on both sides, even as the ceasefire remains fragile.

Allegations Of Abuse And Ongoing Tensions

The Gaza health ministry alleged that some of the Palestinian bodies handed over on Saturday showed evidence of “abuse, beatings, handcuffing and blindfolding.” It claimed similar signs of mistreatment had been observed in earlier exchanges conducted under the same truce.

In response, the Israeli military dismissed the accusations, calling them “Hamas’s false propaganda.” The army insisted that all the returned individuals were “combatants who died within the Gaza Strip” during active fighting.

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The ongoing body exchanges and fragile ceasefire highlight the deep mistrust and volatility that continue to define Israeli-Palestinian relations. Despite temporary calm, humanitarian groups warn that conditions in Gaza remain dire, with hospitals struggling to cope and reconstruction efforts moving slowly.

International mediators, including Egypt and Qatar, have urged both sides to adhere to the terms of the ceasefire to prevent renewed violence and allow aid to reach civilians. But with tensions simmering and sporadic clashes reported in border areas, fears persist that the fragile peace could collapse at any moment.