November 3, 2025

In a twist during the Israel-Hamas war, Israel announced on Saturday that the remains of three people handed over by Hamas in Gaza do NOT belong to any hostages. This surprise news came after Hamas gave the remains to the Red Cross, challenging hopes for peace. This came right after Israel returned 30 Palestinian bodies to Gaza on Friday, completing a big exchange deal after militants handed over remains of two hostages earlier in the week. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office confirmed these new remains were not from hostages. Who are these bodies? No one knows yet. Hamas’ armed wing said they gave these remains to stop “the claims of Israel.” They also said they offered samples of unidentified bodies on Friday, but Israel said no and asked for full remains instead. It’s tough for health workers in Gaza to identify bodies because they don’t have DNA kits. Meanwhile, families gathered again on Saturday night, demanding that all hostages be returned as soon as possible. At a Tel Aviv rally, Yael Adar, mother of a late hostage, said fiercely, “the Hamas scum are mocking us.” In Jerusalem, Moran Harari, friend of another hostage who died, appealed for calm. “This cursed war has taken so many lives of dear people on both sides of the fence. This time, we must not fall into it again,” he said. The fragile ceasefire started October 10 hasn’t been smooth. Palestinian militants have released remains of 17 hostages so far, with 11 still missing in Gaza. They have given one or two bodies every few days, but Israel wants things to move faster. Hamas says it is difficult because of the war’s destruction and Israeli soldiers still present in some areas. Israel is also releasing Palestinian bodies in exchange—225 have been returned to Gaza since the ceasefire began. But families have identified only 75 of these. It’s unclear exactly who those Palestinians were—whether they died in strikes, captivity, or fighting. The ceasefire faced a sharp test when Israel launched attacks that killed over 100 people in Gaza, after an Israeli soldier was killed in Rafah. Adding to tensions, Jordan’s foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, warned that Israel’s army presence in Gaza could ruin security and the ceasefire. Speaking at the Manama Dialogue security summit, he said, “With Israel staying in 53% of Gaza, security is going to be a challenge.” He stressed the need for a Palestinian police force, backed by an international team with a U.N. mandate. The U.S. has suggested a 20-point peace plan that includes an international force from Arab countries, Egypt, and Jordan keeping peace at Gaza’s borders. But the U.S. is clear: American soldiers won’t go into Gaza. Indonesia, the world’s biggest Muslim country, has offered thousands of troops for this peace team. However, as Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Sugiono said, “There has to be a mandate from the UNSC... There have been no discussions so far.” This war, the deadliest between Israel and Hamas, started with a massive attack on Oct 7, 2023, killing about 1,200 and capturing 251 hostages. Since then, Gaza’s Health Ministry says over 68,600 Palestinians have died—including civilians and fighters—making this conflict brutally destructive. Israel rejects claims of genocide and disputes Gaza’s figures but hasn’t shared its own death toll. So, as the bodies flow back and forth and calls for peace grow louder, the question remains—can this fragile truce hold or will the war’s fire burn brighter?

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Tags: Hamas, Israel, Hostages, Ceasefire, Gaza, Peacekeeping,