The partial remains of three deceased individuals handed over to Israel by Hamas in Gaza overnight are not those of any of the hostages held in the Palestinian territory, Israel said Saturday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Saturday confirmed that the remains of the three people did not belong to any hostages. It was unclear who the remains belonged to.
The International Committee of the Red Cross said late on Friday it had facilitated the transfer of the remains from the Gaza Strip to Israeli authorities for identification.
Hamas said in a statement on Saturday that it had initially offered three samples from unidentified bodies to Israeli authorities for testing. Israel refused, it said, insisting on the full remains, a condition the group later agreed to.
The bodies of 11 hostages are thought to still be in Gaza, including those of two foreign nationals. Hamas has released 20 living hostages and handed over the remains of 17 others since a ceasefire with Israel took effect on Oct. 10 after a devastating two-year war.
