The Israel Defense Forces says that one of the four bodies handed over to Israel by Hamas on Tuesday does not match any of the deceased hostages.
“Following the completion of examinations at the National Institute of Forensic Medicine, the fourth body handed over to Israel by Hamas does not match any of the hostages. Hamas is required to make all necessary efforts to return the deceased hostages,” the IDF noted.
Israeli soldiers rest near artillery units near the border with the Gaza Strip on Oct. 9, 2025 in Southern Israel. (Amir Levy/Getty Images)
All living hostages were released as part of a deal that President Donald Trump helped to broker, but Trump noted in a post on Truth Social that the bodies of the dead must also be returned.
“ALL TWENTY HOSTAGES ARE BACK AND FEELING AS GOOD AS CAN BE EXPECTED. A big burden has been lifted, but the job IS NOT DONE. THE DEAD HAVE NOT BEEN RETURNED, AS PROMISED! Phase Two begins right NOW!!!” he asserted in the post on Tuesday.
