Israel receives four more hostage bodies handed over by Hamas

Jerusalem, Oct 15 (IANS) Israel received the bodies of four hostages after they were handed over to the Red Cross by Hamas in Gaza.

The bodies were transferred to Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet personnel inside the Gaza Strip, the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. They were later transferred across the border into Israel under escort by Israeli forces, the military and Shin Bet said in an updated joint statement.

The remains are being taken to the National Center of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv for identification. Unlike a similar handover on Monday, Hamas did not disclose the identities of the bodies in advance, and Israeli authorities said their identities remain unclear, Xinhua news agency reported.

"After the identification process is completed, an official notification will be delivered to the families," Netanyahu's office said.

On Monday, Hamas returned the bodies of four hostages along with 20 surviving captives as part of a ceasefire deal under which Israel released about 2,000 Palestinian detainees and prisoners.

Israel said about 20 more bodies of hostages remain in Gaza and demanded that Hamas hand them over as well.

Earlier on Monday Israel announced that Hamas no longer holds any living Israeli hostage as the remaining 13 were handed over to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and are now on their way home after over two years in Hamas captivity.

This was the second group of hostages released. Earlier, seven Israeli men returned to their country after over 738 days of Hamas captivity.

The seven include Gali and Ziv Berman, Matan Angrest, Alon Ohel, Omri Miran, Eitan Mor and Guy Gilboa-Dallal.

The Red Cross handed over the hostages to the Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip.

--IANS

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