Hamas was reportedly expected to hand over four more bodies of Israeli captives on Wednesday, a day after releasing four other bodies and 20 living Israeli hostages.
A leading source in the Palestinian Resistance confirmed on Wednesday that the body, which Israel claimed does not match any of its captives, is that of an Israeli soldier captured in an Al-Qassam Brigades operation in Jabaliya in May 2024, Al-Jazeera reported.
The source told the news channel that in the process of capturing the soldier, he “died in a direct clash with an Israeli force that tried to invade the area at the time.”
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The Israeli army said in a statement that “following the completion of examinations at the National Institute of Forensic Medicine, the fourth body handed over to Israel by Hamas does not match any of the hostages.”
The army called on Hamas “to make all necessary efforts to return the deceased hostages.”
Prisoner Exchange
Hamas handed over the remains of four more Israeli captives on Tuesday, a day after releasing 20 living Israeli hostages and transferring the bodies of four captives in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners under the first phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
Four more bodies are expected to be returned to Israel on Wednesday, according to Israel’s public broadcaster KAN, the Anadolu news agency reported.
Young men climb onto a bus to embrace their brother, finally freed after years in Israeli prisons, as part of the resistance’s prisoner exchange in Gaza. pic.twitter.com/nVOzGwytjO
— The Palestine Chronicle (@PalestineChron) October 13, 2025
On October 10, the first phase of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement went into effect, according to US President Donald Trump’s plan.
Shaky Ceasefire
On Monday, Israel released 250 Palestinian prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment, in addition to 1,718 detained in the Gaza Strip after October 7, 2023.
There are still more than 10,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons, including children and women, suffering torture, starvation and medical neglect, many of whom were killed, according to Palestinian and Israeli legal and media reports, Al Jazeera Arabic reported.
Gaza Ceasefire Falters amid Israeli Strikes, Hamas Appeals to Mediators
Phase two of the plan calls for the establishment of a new governing mechanism in Gaza, without Hamas’ participation, the formation of a multinational force, and the disarmament of Hamas.
Staggering Death Toll
Starting on October 7, 2023, the Israeli military, with American support, launched a genocidal war against the people of Gaza. This campaign has so far resulted in the deaths of more than 67,000 Palestinians, with more than 169,000 wounded. The vast majority of the population has been displaced, and the destruction of infrastructure is unprecedented since World War II. Thousands of people are still missing.
US Threatens Hamas and Israel Violates the Gaza Ceasefire: Will It Soon Collapse?
In addition to the military assault, the Israeli blockade has caused a man-made famine, leading to the deaths of hundreds of Palestinians—mostly children—with hundreds of thousands more at risk.
Despite widespread international condemnation, little has been done to hold Israel accountable. The nation is currently under investigation for genocide by the International Court of Justice, while accused war criminals, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, are officially wanted by the International Criminal Court.
(PC, AJA, Anadolu)
