Copyright ynetnews
Israeli officials said Tuesday morning that forensic tests at the National Center of Forensic Medicine in Abu Kabir determined that a coffin transferred by Hamas overnight did not contain the body of one of the remaining hostages, but the remains of one who had already been returned and buried in Israel. According to the assessment, the coffin handed over Monday night does not belong to any of the 13 hostages whose bodies are still held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The handover ended nearly a week without the return of any remains. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to convene an emergency discussion Tuesday in response to Hamas’s violations. Officials are weighing several possible measures in response, including expanding the so-called “yellow line” — the IDF-controlled buffer zone inside the Gaza Strip — as a punitive step against Hamas’s repeated breaches. Escorted by police, the coffin was taken from the Gaza border to the forensic center in Tel Aviv for examination. The Health Ministry said it arrived “for identification and investigation into the cause and circumstances of death.” “The teams, including forensic pathologists and laboratory staff, are prepared to respond as quickly as possible with the utmost sensitivity toward the families,” the ministry said in a statement. Hamas claimed the remains had been located in the Tufah neighborhood of Gaza City and handed over around 9 p.m. in northern Gaza—two hours before a deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump. The body was transferred to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which delivered it to Israeli forces at the border. Chief Military Rabbi Brig. Gen. Eyal Karim entered Gaza with teams from the Military Rabbinate to receive the remains. Residents of the Eshkol Regional Council gathered at the Nahal Oz junction to accompany the military convoy as it returned to Israeli territory. Among them was Yael Adar, whose son Tamir was buried last week after his body was returned from Gaza. “Wow, that’s how they brought Tamir,” she said. “Which family will get that news tonight?” Israeli forces continue to search for the bodies of additional hostages in Gaza. Troops are operating in the home of the al-Jamal family in the Nuseirat refugee camp, where four hostages were rescued last June during Operation Arnon. Egyptian teams have entered the area to assist in the effort. Meanwhile, Qatar’s Al Araby TV reported that the IDF denied entry to Hamas personnel, Red Cross staff, and heavy machinery into Rafah to search for the body of Lt. Hadar Goldin, saying the request was a stalling tactic. Israeli officials argue Hamas already has access to the remains without crossing back into Rafah. According to the Saudi outlet Asharq, Hamas informed mediators it was preparing to recover the bodies of seven to nine hostages. Thirteen remain in Gaza. Israeli officials estimate Hamas could return at least eight more bodies, including those of Goldin and Col. Asaf Hamami, and are weighing an expansion of the Israeli-controlled area in Gaza as a punitive measure. A senior Hamas official told Al Aqsa TV that a shortage of equipment was delaying recovery efforts. “Progress will be significantly faster once the necessary tools are supplied,” the official said. As of Tuesday, Israel lists the following hostages as killed and whose bodies remain in Gaza: Capt. Omer Neutra, Sgt. Maj. Ran Gvili, Sgt. Itay Chen, Cpl. Oz Daniel, Col. Asaf Hamami, Lt. Hadar Goldin, Sahar Baruch, Dror Or, Meni Godard, Amiram Cooper, Lior Rudaif, Joshua Loitu Mollel and Sudthisak Rinthalak.
