Red Cross transfers body of hostage held by Hamas to Israel

Alsharq Tribune-Ahmed Essam 

Israel on Monday night received the body of an unidentified hostage who had been held by Hamas in Gaza, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement.

Hamas handed the coffin to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Gaza, which then transferred it to the Israeli military and the Shin Bet security agency inside the enclave.

The coffin will be taken to the National Center of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv, the office said. "Once the identification process is complete, an official notification will be delivered to the family," it added.

A Hamas source said the body was recovered earlier in the day from the Al-Tuffah neighborhood in eastern Gaza City.

It was the latest exchange of captives and bodies under a ceasefire that took effect 11 days ago, under which Hamas released all 20 living Israeli hostages and Israel freed about 2,000 Palestinian detainees.

Israel estimates that the bodies of 28 hostages remain in Gaza, some killed before being taken, and others who died in captivity. Hamas had previously returned 15 bodies.