Hamas returns remains of U.S.-Israeli hostage Itay Chen
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Since the ceasefire began last month, Israel has released the remains of 285 Palestinians to Gaza in exchange for the remains of the hostages. Around 80 of the Palestinian bodies returned have been identified, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
The Israeli prime minister's comments come after Hamas agreed to release hostages under a US-proposed peace plan.
Palestinian militants in Gaza so far have released the remains of 24 hostages held in the territory for the past two years under the current ceasefire with Israel. That leaves
Thirteen families whose loved ones were taken hostage during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack are still waiting for Hamas to return their remains from Gaza.
The US president will then meet world leaders at a Gaza summit in Egypt, as Hamas has until 12:00 local time (10:00 BST) to release the Israeli hostages.
The Israeli military said Wednesday that one of the bodies handed over by Hamas the previous day as part of the ceasefire deal is not that of one of the hostages who was held in Gaza, adding to tensions over a fragile ceasefire in the two-year war.