Israel confirms it has received two further bodies of October 7 hostages – after Hamas finally caved to Trump’s demands for them to ‘release the dead’

Israel confirmed it had recovered two more bodies from hostages on October 7, after Hamas finally bowed to US President Donald Trump’s demands for the “release of the dead”.

The exchange took place at 22:00 local time (20:00 in London) and followed anger that the terror group returned only 10 of the 28 dead captives specified in the ceasefire agreement.

The delay has fueled growing anger and protests across Israel, where victims’ families are demanding the return of their loved ones’ remains.

Hamas claims it has handed over all the hostage remains it could access and that ‘extensive efforts and special equipment’ would be needed to retrieve any more.

Israeli intelligence evaluated that it might not be able to find and bring back all the dead hostages remaining in Gaza.

Tests on one of the four bodies delivered to Israel this week revealed that it belonged to a Gazan. The other three remains were identified as Tamir Nimrodi, Eitan Levy and Uriel Baruch.

President Trump expressed his disappointment at Truth Social: ‘THE JOB WAS NOT DONE. THE DEAD DID NOT RETURN AS PROMISED!’

Earlier this year, the terrorist organization claimed to have handed over the body of one of the hostages, Shiri Bibas, but it was later confirmed that it belonged to a Palestinian.

According to Donald Trump’s 20-point peace plan announced on Monday, Hamas had to release all hostages, dead or alive, as a key condition of the agreement.

The group’s failure to hand over the bodies sparked fears that the already fragile peace deal could be in jeopardy, with Israeli officials accusing Hamas of deliberately hiding the remains.

Earlier this week, Israel refused to increase aid shipments to Gaza after Hamas released only eight bodies by Tuesday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected doubling the number of aid trucks, citing the group’s violation of the agreement.

Hamas was expected to hand over all 28 hostages who died, along with the 20 survivors, by noon on Monday. Although the release of living captives brought relief, initially only four bodies were returned; Then four more bodies arrived last night.

Given the central importance of funeral rites in Judaism, this omission caused outrage in Israel; here the failure to save the dead was seen as a deep insult.

Donald Trump on Monday brokered a landmark peace deal between Israel and Hamas aimed at ending the devastating Gaza war that has killed tens of thousands and created a humanitarian catastrophe.

In emotional scenes, released captives were reunited with families, parents and friends; some embraced in tears after years of fear and uncertainty.

“After years of incessant war and endless danger, today the skies are calm, the guns are silent and the sirens are still silent,” Donald Trump said in his historic speech at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament.

But despite the celebrations, the ordeal of two years in captivity was clear; Many of the hostages appeared weak and emaciated; It bore little resemblance to photographs taken before their abduction on October 7, 2023.

Relatives of the hostages whose bodies are in Gaza held banners and demanded their release.

The physical and emotional scars behind the smiles were a stark reminder of the suffering since that day.

The US President on Thursday issued a stern warning to the group caught executing fellow Palestinians amid a ceasefire with Israel.

‘If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Agreement, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them,’ the president wrote on Truth Social. ‘Thank you for your interest in this matter!’

Hamas had previously returned four hostages who died on Monday; These hostages were later announced as Guy Illouz (26), Bipin Joshi (23), Yossi Sharabi (53) and Daniel Peretz (22).

Four more bodies were turned in on Tuesday, three of whom were identified as 35-year-old Uriel Baruch, 18-year-old Tamir Nimrodi and 53-year-old Eitan Levi.

But Israel said the fourth ‘did not match any of the hostages’.

Hamas’ failure to immediately provide the remains of the 28 dead hostages has led to fears that the peace deal is already at risk.

A spokesperson for the Hostages and Missing Families Forum told the Daily Mail:

‘Following the return of the last 20 alive hostages on Monday, devastating accounts are emerging of people being caged, chained, starved and had bags placed over their heads for long periods of time.

‘Each new account reveals another layer of deliberate psychology; and physical cruelty.

Hamas used systematic torture and psychological terror as weapons of war to dehumanize, humiliate, and destroy.

‘We know that the hostages held in Gaza today are no longer alive. For their families, the nightmare is not over yet; Many fear the bodies of their loved ones will be lost forever in Gaza.

‘The world must confront the full horror of Hamas’ actions and stand with the families to demand the return of every hostage’s body so that they can finally be buried with dignity in Israel and bring closure to the families.’