Remains of American Israeli hostage among 3 bodies returned by Hamas, IDF says

Israeli forces said they resumed the Gaza ceasefire after strikes on Tuesday.

ByDavid Brennan, Megan Forrester, and Nadine El-Bawab
Last Updated: November 3, 2025, 1:40 AM EST

U.S. President Donald Trump pressed Hamas to act faster in returning the bodies of deceased hostages amid a delicate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Israel has accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire deal by withholding the bodies of the remaining 13 deceased hostages thought to have died during or after the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023.

Hamas has said the return of the remaining bodies "may take some time" due to the destruction wrought in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday instructed the country's military to "carry out powerful strikes in Gaza," a statement from his office said, in response to alleged ceasefire violations by Hamas.

The Israel Defense Forces said on Wednesday they had resumed the ceasefire.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing.
Nov 03, 2025, 1:42 AM EST

Body of American Israeli hostage returned by Hamas

The body of American Israeli hostage Omer Neutra has been returned to Israel, Israeli officials said, as they identified each of the three sets of remains released by Hamas overnight.

Omer Neutra, a soldier and American Israeli hostage who was kidnapped in the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, is pictured in this undated handout photo.
Bring Them Home Now via Reuters

All three were soldiers killed in the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, whose bodies were taken into Gaza, according to the Israel Defense Forces.

The remains of Neutra, a captain, were returned along with those of Col. Assaf Hamami and Staff Sgt. Oz Daniel, the IDF said in a statement.

-ABC News’ Guy Davies

Nov 02, 2025, 2:29 PM EST

Israel confirms it received 3 bodies from Gaza

Israel said that it received three bodies from Gaza via the Red Cross on Sunday.

The remains will transferred to the Ministry of Health's National Center for Forensic Medicine to confirm their identities, according to a statement Sunday from the Israeli prime minister's office, after which the families will be informed.

Prior to this transfer, there were 11 remaining hostage bodies in Gaza, including two Americans.

-ABC News' Jordana Miller

Oct 31, 2025, 4:38 PM EDT

3 bodies transferred to Israeli authorities by the Red Cross: ICRC

The International Committee of the Red Cross facilitated the transfer of three bodies to Israeli authorities on Friday, the ICRC said in a statement.

The bodies will be taken to Israel for identification.

-ABC News' Ellie Kaufman

Oct 31, 2025, 12:45 PM EDT

30 bodies returned to Gaza, ICRC says

A further 30 bodies were transferred from Israeli authorities to authorities in Gaza via the International Committee of the Red Cross, the organization said in a statement on Friday.

Red Cross transports the body of a deceased hostage in Deir Al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, October 30, 2025.
Ramadan Abed/Reuters

This return of bodies is part of the ongoing ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas.

Including this transfer, Israel has returned 225 bodies to Gaza since the ceasefire began on Oct. 10, the Hamas-run Gaza Ministry of Health said.

"Local health and forensic authorities are responsible for taking all possible measures to identify the remains of those deceased. Local health authorities in Gaza have confirmed the number of deceased received today is 30," the ICRC said.

-ABC News' Diaa Ostaz and Sami Zyara

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