Israel says remains returned by Hamas are not those of Israeli hostages
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Israel said Friday that the remains of three men extradited by Hamas did not match any of the dead hostages.
According to information obtained by Fox News, after forensic examinations, Israeli officials said that it was concluded that the remains did not belong to the 11 dead hostages still held in Gaza.
“The remains we took are not our hostages,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office told The Associated Press after examining the remains. But neither Netanyahu’s office nor any Israeli official confirmed the identities of the remains to the AP. It is not yet known who these people are and why they were given to Israel.
Hamas has returned the remains of 17 hostages since a US-brokered ceasefire that began earlier this month. Along with those already handed over, there have also been cases where Israel claimed Hamas returned remains that did not match the remaining deceased hostages. Hamas had previously returned other remains belonging to Ofir Tzarfati, whose body was first found in 2023.
Hamas hands over remains of hostage whose body was found 2 years ago
The Red Cross carries the body of a hostage held in Gaza since a deadly Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, after it was handed over by Hamas to Deir Al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on October 30, 2025. (Ramadan Abed/Reuters)
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) made clear its role in the transfer of the hostages’ remains. The ICRC said in a statement that it “was not involved in the discovery of the remains.”
“In accordance with international humanitarian law, it is the responsibility of the parties to search for, collect and return the dead,” the ICRC said.
IDF SAYS THE RED CROSS HAS TAKEN TWO COFFINS OF HOSTAGES WHO DIED IN THE GAZA STRIP
Red Cross vehicles arrive to collect from Hamas the bodies of deceased hostages held in Gaza since the deadly attack on October 7, 2023, as part of a Gaza ceasefire and hostage exchange agreement with prisoners on October 14, 2025. (Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters)
On Thursday, Israel received the remains of Amiram Cooper and Sahar Baruch and left 11 dead hostages, including US citizens Itay Chen and Omer Neutra, in the Gaza Strip.
Israeli intelligence suggests Cooper was alive when he was taken from his home on Kibbutz Nir Oz during the October 7, 2023 attacks. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said it estimated Cooper was killed in February 2024. Cooper was 84 years old. Cooper leaves behind a wife, four children and 11 grandchildren.
Participants hold a large banner during a rally held by hostage families and their supporters at “Hostages Square” in Tel Aviv, Israel, on October 18, 2025. (Ilan Rosenberg/Reuters)
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Baruch was taken from his home on Kibbutz Be’eri during the massacre. The IDF said it estimated he was killed on December 8, 2023, when he was 25 years old. Baruch left behind his parents and two siblings.
Besides Neutra and Chen, the dead hostages include Meny Godard, Hadar Goldin, Ran Gvili, Asaf Hamami, Joshua Loitu Mollel, Dror Or, Oz Daniel, Lior Rudaeff and Sudthisak Rinthalak.
Fox News’ Yonat Friling and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
