**Israel Receives Bodies of Three More Captives from Hamas for Identification**
*Nov. 2 (UPI)* — Israel has received the bodies of three more captives from Hamas and transported them to the National Institute for Forensic Medicine for examination and identification, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced Sunday.
According to an IDF statement, Hamas presented the bodies in three caskets to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The ICRC collected the remains and delivered them to Israeli soldiers inside Gaza. The bodies were then escorted across the border into Israel.
“The IDF urges the public to act with sensitivity and wait for official identification, which will first be communicated to the families of the deceased hostages,” the statement added.
Earlier, Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades said Saturday that they were prepared to exhume the bodies of the three captives from inside the “yellow line” — a boundary marking the limits for Israeli troop deployment under the ceasefire deal — and had offered to hand them over to Israel.
Since entering a ceasefire with Hamas in October, Israel has conducted multiple operations beyond the yellow line, shooting and bombing Palestinian areas outside its controlled zones. Hamas has regarded these actions as violations of the ceasefire agreement.
On Friday, Hamas returned partial remains of three people, but Israel’s forensic testing confirmed that the bodies did not belong to any of the Israeli captives.
In related news, the United Nations agency responsible for Palestinian affairs said Sunday it continues to operate health facilities in Gaza, focusing on essential services such as screening young children for malnutrition.
Separately, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Sunday that he had spoken with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. They agreed that “humanitarian aid must reach the people of Gaza safely and in sufficient quantities.”
Meanwhile, the family of a Palestinian held captive by Israel for 27 years reported a severe decline in his health condition, according to Al-Jazeera. The man was arrested in April 1997 and is serving multiple life sentences.
https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2025/11/02/israel-receives-bodies-three-more-captives-hamas/2001762120697/
