Israel receives 2 hostage bodies held by Hamas

Israel on Thursday received the remains of two deceased hostages from the Gaza Strip via the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Israeli Prime Minister's Office and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in separate statements.



The bodies were transferred to the IDF and Israel's domestic security agency, Shin Bet, before being taken to the National Center of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv for identification.



Once the process is completed, families of the deceased will be formally notified, the statements said.



"The effort to return our hostages is ongoing and will not cease until the last hostage is returned," it added.



Not including the latest two, Hamas has so far given back the remains of 15 of the 28 deceased hostages it had agreed to return as part of the recent declared ceasefire deal.