Gaza’s health ministry has confirmed it has received more bodies of Palestinians. Meanwhile, Israel has warned Hamas after it said one of the bodies it was given doesn’t match any of the hostages. Listen to The World as you scroll.
Wednesday 15 October 2025 16:49, UK
Israel is expecting Hamas to return more bodies of deceased hostages tonight, according Israeli media.
The Qatari al Arabi channel also reports Hamas will release five more bodies tonight.
So far, the group has released eight bodies under the ceasefire agreement – four on Monday and four yesterday.
While four bodies were handed over, Israel said today that one of them does not match any hostage, leaving the remains of 21 dead hostages still to be released, according to their tallies.
The hostage releases have resonated even far from the region, as some 140 hostages were believed to have held foreign passports from 25 different countries, according to the Israeli government.
Among them were nationals from countries as far away as Argentina and Sri Lanka.
A Nepali national was among the bodies released on Monday: Bipin Joshi, who was 23 at the time of the attack.
He had been an agriculture student at the Kibbutz Alumim, one of 16 other Nepalis staying there when it came under attack, 10 of whom were killed.
On Monday, a vigil was held for Joshi at the Nepali capital, Kathmandu.
“We strongly urge Hamas to immediately suspend violence and shooting innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza,” Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of US forces in the Middle East, said.
His order applied to both Hamas-held parts of Gaza and those still occupied by Israeli troops, he added.
This comes after reports that Hamas fighters clashed with militias in Gaza since Israel partially withdrew its troops on Friday and Israeli hostages and Palestinians prisoners were exchanged on Monday.
Hamas also executed men that it accused of collaborating with Israel, according to officials.
Donald Trump has said the clashes left him unbothered and did not affect his peace plan.
Members of the public turned out to wave Israeli flags as the funeral procession for hostage Guy Illouz passed by.
The Israeli military said the 26-year-old was injured and abducted alive by Hamas after escaping the Nova music festival, but he died from his wounds after not receiving proper medical treatment while being held by Hamas.
“This is the first funeral for those who have been returned by Hamas as part of this,” our Middle East correspondent Adam Parsons said.
Take a look at pictures below from the procession.
The United Nations Human Rights Office has said the Israeli military “continues to kill civilians” around redeployment lines in Gaza.
It said that at least 15 Palestinians have been shot and killed in areas near Israeli troops in Gaza.
The Israeli military still controls around 53% of Gaza after its forces moved back to the initial withdrawal line (see map below).
Yesterday, Israel’s military said it opened fire on “several suspects” as health authorities in Gaza said at least six Palestinians had been killed by Israeli fire in two separate incidents.
The IDF said it opened fire after suspects crossed the line of withdrawal and approached forces in the northern Gaza Strip.
“It’s imperative to ensure that the ceasefire holds and progresses to recovery and the full realisation of Palestinians’ right to self-determination,” Ajith Sunghay, head of the UN body, said.
“It’s equally imperative to ensure that recovery efforts, including the restoration of public order and civil life comply with international law protections of Palestinians’ human rights.”
As we mentioned in our 14.33 post, Israel transferred the bodies of 45 Palestinians to the Red Cross yesterday.
The Gaza health ministry has now confirmed that it has received the bodies, bringing the total number of handed over by Israel to 90.
“The ministry confirms that its medical teams continue to handle the bodies according to approved medical procedures and protocols, in preparation for completing the examination, documentation and delivery to the families,” the statement added.
The Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt is expected to reopen for people tomorrow, two sources have told Reuters, although it remains unclear if it will open for aid.
The sources added that a European Union mission will be present at the crossing.
It comes after an Israeli security official confirmed that the Rafah crossing is not open today.
The official said preparations are ongoing for its opening for the entry and exit of Gazans only.
Yesterday, Israeli officials said the Rafah crossing would remain closed and aid flow into Gaza would be reduced after Hamas failed to hand over the bodies of all the dead hostages.
Israel transferred the bodies of 45 Palestinians to the Red Cross yesterday under the first phase of the Gaza peace plan.
According to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry, the bodies show clear signs of torture, mutilation and field execution.
In a statement, it said the bodies of detainees had evidence of bound hands and blindfolded eyes.
Medical sources also told Al Jazeera that signs of tracks appeared on the bodies, suggesting some of them had been run over by Israeli vehicles.
Sky News has contacted the Israel Defence Forces for comment.
It comes after a freed Palestinian prisoner described scenes of systematic torture, humiliation and death inside Israeli detention (see 7.13 post).
Akram al Basyouni, 45, from northern Gaza, told Sky News “many of our fellow prisoners were beaten to the point of death”.
Sky News is also yet to receive a comment from Israeli forces on Al Basyouni’s allegations.
Red Cross vehicles have been transporting the bodies of Palestinians held by Israel back to Gaza.
These latest pictures reaching us from Khan Younis in southern Gaza show a convoy of vehicles travelling past rubble.
Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian says Hamas is “required to uphold its commitments” after Israel said one of the bodies returned by Hamas doesn’t match any hostage.
“We will not compromise on this and we will spare no effort until our fallen hostages are returned, every last one of them,” she says.
Bedrosian says that Hamas agreed to release all 48 hostages in the first phase of the peace plan, and even “made the specific confirmation” to Donald Trump.
“We are expecting to see the terror organisation uphold their side of this agreement,” she adds.
Trump’s peace plan required Hamas to return all of the hostages, living and dead, by the end of a 72-hour deadline which expired on Monday.
Eight bodies have been returned – seven of which Israel says belong to hostages.
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