Gaza health officials said 15 Palestinian bodies arrived from Israel, raising the number returned since the truce began to 285. The delivery came after Israel handed over remains believed to be of an Israeli soldier taken during the October 7, 2023 attack that set off the wider conflict.

Under the ceasefire that started on October 10, Hamas has returned the remains of 21 Israelis to their families. In reciprocal moves, Israeli authorities have released groups of Palestinian bodies—often around 15 for each Israeli recovered, officials reported. Identifying many of the dead has been slow because of a shortage of DNA test kits and the heavy destruction across Gaza.

Medical staff at hospitals in Khan Younis warned that the process is made harder by fragile humanitarian conditions and urgent reconstruction needs. Only some of the returned bodies have been positively identified; authorities have published photographs to help relatives recognize those who were lost.

The gradual exchange of remains highlights the fragile nature of the ceasefire and the profound human cost left in the conflict's wake. Families and communities are navigating difficult logistics and ongoing humanitarian pressures as they seek closure and a return to stability.