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Egypt has informed Israel that it plans to establish a joint team with representatives from Egypt, Qatar, and Türkiye to enter the Gaza Strip and work with Hamas on securing the return of deceased hostages, Israel’s public broadcaster Kan reported Tuesday.
According to the report, the initiative will operate independently of the international mechanism defined in the existing Israel-Hamas agreement and aims to expedite efforts to recover the bodies.
Earlier Tuesday, Kan reported that Israel’s security establishment had advised the government not to reopen the Rafah crossing or allow full humanitarian aid into Gaza until the bodies of the deceased hostages are returned.
Hamas reportedly told mediators that it would begin handing over four deceased hostages on Tuesday night.
Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) called for the dignified management of the dead as it continues to facilitate the transfer of human remains under the Israel-Hamas cease-fire plan in Gaza.
In a statement, the ICRC said its neutral intermediary role begins once remains are handed over to its teams, which are providing body bags, refrigerated vehicles, and additional staff to ensure proper handling.
The organization urged all parties and mediators to “faithfully implement” the agreement so that remains can be returned to grieving families. “It is a pivotal task and an essential element for the full implementation of the agreement,” it said.
ICRC spokesperson Christian Cardon told reporters at a UN briefing in Geneva that the latest exchanges proceeded “without major incidents” and without formal ceremonies. He said 20 hostages were handed over to the ICRC and transferred to Israeli authorities, while 1,808 Palestinian detainees were handed to the organization from Israeli prisons and subsequently transferred — some to Gaza, others to the West Bank, and a small number to East Jerusalem.
Cardon added that a total of 1,968 detainees were released Tuesday, including the four deceased hostages handed to the ICRC in Gaza and then transferred to Israeli authorities.
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He noted that ICRC operations in Gaza City have resumed after being temporarily suspended on Oct. 1.
Since October 2023, the ICRC has facilitated operations leading to the release of 172 Israeli hostages and 3,472 Palestinian detainees.
Hamas and Israel reached the cease-fire last week as part of U.S. President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war, secure the release of all hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, deliver humanitarian aid, and rebuild Gaza.
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