Hamas Has Now Handed Over Remains of 13 Dead Hostages

UPDATE Oct 21, 2025 12:30 AM CDT

The body of a thirteenth hostage was turned over to Israel by Hamas Monday night, leaving the remains of 15 hostages still in Gaza, the Times of Israel reports. The release of the body of Tal Haimi, 41, who was killed while defending Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak during the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack, came as two of US President Trump's envoys visited Israel to shore up the ceasefire agreement, which was tested by Israeli strikes the day prior. The truce appeared to be back on track by Monday, with Israel allowing aid shipments to Gaza to resume, the AP reports.

Oct 20, 2025 2:30 AM CDT

Israel said Hamas handed over "two coffins of deceased hostages " from Gaza late Saturday, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu increased pressure on the militant group to share the rest more quickly under their ceasefire, the AP reports. CNN reports the bodies were later identified as Ronen Engel and Thai national Sonthaya Oakkharasri. Hamas has now handed over the remains of 12 of the 28 dead hostages in Gaza, a key step in the week-old ceasefire process meant to end two years of war. The militant group says devastation and Israeli military control of certain areas of Gaza have slowed the handover. US President Trump has warned that he would greenlight a resumption of the war by Israel if Hamas doesn't return the remains of all dead hostages.

Israel announced earlier Saturday that Gaza's sole crossing with the outside world, Rafah, would stay closed "until further notice," tying it to Hamas' release of remains. On Thursday it had said the crossing, closed since May 2024 when Israel took control of the Gaza side, likely would reopen Sunday. Hamas called Netanyahu's decision a violation of the ceasefire deal. A fully reopened crossing would make it easier for Gazans to seek medical treatment, travel or visit family in Egypt, home to tens of thousands of Palestinians. The statement by Netanyahu 's office on the Rafah crossing came shortly after the Palestinian embassy in Egypt said it would reopen Monday for people returning to Gaza.