Israel’s National Center for Forensic Medicine confirmed on Monday (3) that the three bodies handed over by Hamas to the Red Cross in the Gaza Strip on Sunday correspond to hostages Asaf Hamami, a colonel in the Israeli Army, Omer Maxim Neutra, an Army captain, and Oz Daniel, a sergeant, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office in a statement.
“The government of Israel shares the deep pain of the Hamami, Neutra and Daniel families and all the families of the dead kidnapped”, highlights the note, which adds that “Hamas is obliged to fulfill its obligations towards the mediators and repatriate them” within the scope of the ceasefire.
With the return of these three bodies by the terrorist group, there remain eight bodies of Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip.
Although Hamas does not announce in advance the bodies of the hostages it hands over, this Sunday (2) the group released images of a white bag with Asaf Hamami’s name, as well as his driver’s license, when announcing the handover of the three bodies.
Hamami has the highest rank, as colonel of the Southern Brigade of the Army’s Gaza Division, among the soldiers murdered by Hamas on October 7, 2023. That day, terrorists from Gaza killed almost 1,200 people and kidnapped another 251 in Israeli territory.
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, had announced on Sunday to Captain Neutra’s family that his body had been returned. The White House leader told reporters aboard Air Force One that he spoke with Neutra’s parents after the news broke. “They’re thrilled, on the one hand, but on the other hand, obviously, it’s not that good,” he said.
The Al Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, also announced that it had found three bodies on Sunday in southern Gaza, whose delivery was scheduled for Monday afternoon.
On Saturday, the Red Cross, together with Egyptian forces and members of Al Qassam, entered Beni Suhaila, east of Khan Younis (south), to search for bodies of hostages. This location is still under the control of the Israeli Army as it is beyond the Yellow Line.
The Yellow Line is the imaginary border to which the Israeli Army had to withdraw with the ceasefire coming into force, and the entire territory between this demarcation and the divide between Israel and Gaza – a perimeter of more than 50% of the enclave – remains under the control of the armed forces.