Israel has said the Rafah crossing will be closed over Hamas’s failure to return the bodies of dead hostages. Earlier, Israel admitted its troops opened fire after “suspects” approached their forces in Gaza. Listen to Trump100 as you scroll.
Tuesday 14 October 2025 15:35, UK
The families of 24 dead hostages are still waiting to have their bodies returned from Gaza.
Only four bodies were transferred by Hamas to Israel yesterday. It’s not clear when the remains will be handed over.
Here’s what we know about the four hostages whose bodies have been returned, while the families of others who have been declared dead await word from Israeli authorities on their whereabouts.
Who are the four hostages whose bodies have been found?
The bodies of Yossi Sharabi, Guy Illouz, Daniel Peretz and Bipin Joshi have been returned to Israel.
The Israeli military has officially identified the bodies of Illouz and Joshi.
The two men were both in their 20s when Hamas took them during the October 7 attack on Israel that sparked the war in 2023.
Illouz, who is from Israel, was taken from the Nova music festival, while Joshi, a student from Nepal, was taken from a bomb shelter.
Israel said Illouz died from his wounds while being held captive without proper medical treatment, while Joshi was murdered in captivity during the first months of the war.
Sir Keir Starmer has paid tribute to the role that the UK’s national security adviser played behind the scenes in the first phase of the Gaza peace deal.
He added that the UK is offering its full support to the next phase, including the decommissioning of Hamas.
It comes after a row erupted after an interview with the education secretary on Sky News.
Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, called Bridget Phillipson “delusional” after she told Sky News the UK played a key role in the Gaza peace deal.
But yesterday, Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff said the UK played a “vital role” in a bid to smooth over tensions.
“In particular, I want to recognise the incredible input and tireless efforts of National Security Adviser Jonathan Powell,” he added.
Israeli officials have said that Gaza’s Rafah crossing will remain closed tomorrow and aid flow into the enclave will be reduced.
The officials said the measures have been taken against Hamas for not handing over the bodies of all the dead hostages.
As we’ve been reporting, four bodies have been returned to Israel, while the families of 24 others are still waiting for their bodies to be handed back to Israel.
Earlier, the Norwegian Refugee Council told Sky News that “all southern crossings” need to open or “we’re going to be talking about a worsening catastrophe” in Gaza (see 12.22 post).
Spokesperson Ahmed Bayram said 55,000 children are facing acute malnutrition, and explained that the immediate focus is on “saving children from dying”, adding “it all starts with these trucks going in”.
The Hostage and Missing Families Forum has called on Steve Witkoff to “pull out every stop” to ensure all the bodies of the remaining hostages in Gaza are returned to Israel.
Hamas was instructed to release the bodies of all hostages, alive and dead, by around midday yesterday. All the living captives were handed over, but only four bodies were returned to Israel.
The militant group has indicated that it will take time to find some bodies under the rubble in Gaza. A spokesperson for the Red Cross has also warned locating the bodies will be a “massive challenge”.
In a letter, the hostage families thank Witkoff, Donald’s Trump special envoy to the Middle East, for speaking at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv “with such conviction and compassion” on Saturday evening, calling it a “truly historic moment”.
“However, what we feared is now happening before our eyes.”
“Only four families will be able to bring their loved ones to the dignified burial they so deserve and begin final closure. How is this possible? How can we accept that the others remain behind?
“We ask you to pull out every stop and leave no stone unturned in demanding that Hamas fulfil their end of the agreement.”
Watch: Steve Witkoff speaks at Hostages Square in Tel Aviv
A number of bodies of Palestinians killed during the Israel-Hamas war have arrived in Gaza after being released by Israel, health authorities in the enclave have told Reuters.
This is the first handover of its kind since the ceasefire began. Israel is believed to hold hundreds of bodies of Palestinians killed since the war broke out two years ago.
The Nasser Medical Complex in northern Gaza told CNN that it received the bodies of 45 Palestinians today from the Red Cross.
Sir Keir Starmer is updating the House of Commons on the ceasefire in the Middle East.
He starts by saying: “Words I have longed to say in this House for a very long time: the surviving hostages are free, and the bombardment of Gaza has stopped, and desperately needed aid is starting to enter as a result of the peace plan led by President Trump.”
The PM describes what has happened as a “moment of profound relief” for many people – although it is “tempered” by the knowledge of what has happened.
He goes on to call for any restrictions on aid to be ended.
Starmer confirms the UK is still providing aid, including in the form of £20m being given in support of water, sanitation and hygiene products.
The prime minister continues to praise Donald Trump, saying it is “his peace deal”, and “let no one be in any doubt that none of this would have been possible without President Trump”.
Starmer states that the UK “worked behind the scenes for months” alongside the US, Arab and European nations to help get the agreement for a ceasefire, get hostages out, get aid in and secure a better future for Israel, Gaza and the West Bank.
The PM says he is “proud of our contribution”.
These latest pictures from Gaza City show heavy machinery being used to clear rubble with the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in effect.
Earlier, we told you Donald Trump has said he hopes the peace agreement will lead to “the rebuilding of Gaza” (see 6.21 post).
In our latest Q&A, our military analyst Michael Clarke was asked whether Donald Trump could prioritise trying to end the war in Ukraine after the first phase of his Gaza peace deal was signed.
“He said we’ll take on the Ukraine war next, and he said it on the flight on the way home again,” Clarke explained.
“According to CNN, he said I’ll solve it in 24 hours 53 times on the campaign trail, and now he says he was only speaking figuratively.
“He’s discovered that the war is quite tough to solve, and he does say he’s going to turn his attention to Ukraine.”
Clarke pointed out that one of the things Trump may have learned in the Gaza experience is that “if he leans on people really hard, he does have real power”.
He explains that Trump “leant on Netanyahu really hard” after Israel’s attacks on Hamas in Qatar, and says the question is now whether he will lean on Vladimir Putin.
“He could and we’ll see what difference it makes,” he adds.
By Adam Parsons, Middle East correspondent
When the bus came into view, there was a surge of expectation and a rush of people.
Everyone wanted to get a view, to see through the windows, to see if they could spot a familiar face, or a relative, or a friend.
These were the people being sent back to the West Bank as part of the ceasefire deal – the people exchanged for the hostages.
The welcome they got was chaotic and joyful, just like previous prisoner releases. But there was something different this time – a changed, charged atmosphere and a heavier police presence.
And as the minutes passed by, the sense of joy was also pockmarked by pockets of utter sadness.
Watch: Who are the released Palestinian prisoners?
At first, it was a mistake. We saw a woman in floods of tears watching as prisoners filed off the two buses, showing victory signs at the waiting crowds. She had come to meet a cousin, but was sure that somehow he had been missed out and left behind. Her tears flowed until, some time later, she found him.
But others were not so fortunate. Overnight, the Israeli authorities had decided to increase the number of prisoners deemed dangerous enough to be denied a return to the West Bank.
Instead, this group, which makes up the majority of the 250 released prisoners, was taken to Gaza and released. Then they get the choice of whether to stay in Gazaor to be deported to another country – possibly Egypt or Turkey.
The Norwegian Refugee Council has warned “we’re going to be talking about a worsening catastrophe” if substantial aid doesn’t get into Gaza soon.
Spokesperson Ahmed Bayram said the last two days have brought some progress in terms of aid getting in to Gaza.
“We hope that hundreds of trucks will start making their way again this week,” he said.
“Until we reach thousands of trucks, because we do have that potential if all crossings are open.
“That’s what we need now, all southern crossings open.”
Bayram said 55,000 children are facing acute malnutrition in Gaza, adding that “they face death if not treated imminently”.
He also explained that children in Gaza are going to be in need of long-term treatment.
“Education is going to be very important,” he added.
“Hospitals are not ready yet, so I would say the next period is going to be about saving those lives, saving children from dying, from hunger, that’s very much the risk today.
“It all starts with these trucks going in.”
Watch the full interview below.
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