Israel's military said Hamas handed over "two coffins of deceased hostages" from Gaza to the Red Cross late on Saturday (October 18, 2025), while Israel increased pressure on the militant group to share the rest more quickly under their ceasefire.
No names were immediately released.
Israel announced earlier on Saturday that Gaza's sole crossing with the outside world, Rafah, would stay closed "until further notice," tying it to Hamas' release of remains. On Thursday, it had said the crossing likely would reopen on Sunday.
Hamas has now handed over the remains of 12 of the 28 dead hostages in Gaza, a key step in the week-old ceasefire process meant to end two years of war. The militant group says devastation and Israeli military control of certain areas of Gaza have slowed the handover.
The
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