Hamas returns remains of four more hostages, while Israel returns 45 dead Palestinians, Red Cross says

Hamas returned the remains of four more hostages to Israeli authorities and Israel returned the remains of 45 Palestinians to Gaza on Tuesday, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, as President Donald Trump warned the militant group that it must disarm.

“These operations were carried out in accordance with the ceasefire agreement, and it is crucial that the parties and mediators ensure that this agreement is faithfully respected,” the ICRC said in a statement. “The ICRC remains determined to fulfill its role as a neutral intermediary so that families can turn the page. »

The Israel Defense Forces confirmed in a post on X that they had received the remains of the four hostages and said they would be transferred to the National Institute of Forensic Medicine for identification.

The release of the hostage’s remains comes after Hamas faced widespread criticism and accusations of violating Trump’s peace deal for returning the remains of just four deceased hostages on Monday. The terms of the peace agreement stipulated that Hamas must release the remains of the 28 deceased hostages.

“I want them back. That’s what they said. I want them back,” Trump said at a news conference Monday. “Besides, they said they were going to disarm.”

“If they don’t disarm, we will disarm them,” Trump told reporters when asked how he would do it. “I don’t need to explain it to you, but if they don’t disarm, we’ll disarm them. They know I’m not playing a game.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement that the hostages’ families would be informed after the identification process.

“Following the identification process, official notification will be provided to the families,” the office said in the statement. “All hostage families have been informed and, at this difficult time, our thoughts are with them.”

Netanyahu’s office identified the four deceased hostages received Monday as Guy Ilouz, Daniel Peretz, Yossi Sharabi and Bipin Joshi. In addition to the four remains released Tuesday, 20 deceased hostages are still in Hamas custody.

Families in Israel, the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank rejoiced on the 20 hostages and some 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees were released on Monday.

The issue of returning hostage remains has become a potential flashpoint and could threaten the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued a warning to Hamas on Monday. “The urgent mission we are all committed to now is to ensure the return of all abducted bodies to their homes,” Katz posted on