Israel Rejects Red Cross Transfer, Gaza Truce Falters

Tensions escalated in the fragile Gaza ceasefire after Israel confirmed that three bodies transferred from Gaza through the Red Cross were not those of hostages expected under the ongoing truce. The revelation has added uncertainty to the already fragile peace arrangement, as both Israel and Hamas accuse each other of violating the ceasefire terms.

Israel Confirms Misidentification Of Bodies

The Israeli military announced on Saturday that forensic tests revealed the three bodies handed over by the Red Cross were not among the 11 deceased hostages still awaited under the US-brokered peace pact. A spokesperson told AFP that authorities were unsure who the individuals were or why their remains were sent. The confusion has further strained the truce, which was meant to facilitate the exchange of hostages and bodies alongside humanitarian relief.

Previous Exchanges And Ceasefire Commitments

The recent handover followed Israel’s return of 30 Palestinian bodies to Gaza, after Hamas transferred the remains of two hostages last week—a move initially viewed as progress. Since the October 10 ceasefire began, Hamas has released 20 surviving hostages and returned 17 bodies, including those of 15 Israelis, one Thai national, and one Nepali. Israel, however, maintains that Hamas is delaying the retrieval of the remaining 11 hostages’ remains.

Accusations Of Non-Compliance On Both Sides

Hamas has claimed that locating the remaining bodies is proving difficult due to massive destruction caused by Israeli airstrikes across Gaza. Conversely, Israeli officials accuse Hamas of deliberately obstructing the process and using the truce to regroup militarily. Gaza’s health ministry stated that 225 Palestinian bodies have been returned by Israel since the ceasefire began, of which only 75 have been identified so far.

Exam Oriented Facts

• The truce between Israel and Hamas began on October 10, 2025, under US mediation.
• Israel says 11 deceased hostages’ bodies are still awaited under the peace pact.
• Gaza’s health ministry reports 225 Palestinian bodies returned since the truce began.
• Recent Israeli strikes killed over 100 people in Gaza after renewed border clashes.

Renewed Violence Threatens Fragile Peace

The ceasefire’s stability suffered further damage earlier this week when Israeli strikes across Gaza killed over 100 people, following the death of an Israeli soldier in Rafah. Israel cited Hamas’ alleged breach of truce terms as justification for the assault. The continued exchange of bodies and retaliatory violence highlights the fragility of the Gaza peace deal, raising fears that the tentative truce could collapse entirely if diplomatic efforts fail to restore mutual compliance.