Hamas Returns Remains of Three More Israeli Hostages — Eight Bodies Still Held in Gaza

Jerusalem — Under cease-fire arrangements tied to the Israel–Hamas war, Palestinian militants have handed back the remains of 20 hostages held in Gaza over the past two years. The transfer of the final eight remains specified in the U.S. peace plan is proceeding slowly: militants have been releasing one or two bodies every few days. Hamas says some remains are inaccessible because they lie beneath rubble from Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip, while Israeli officials and families accuse Hamas of delaying and have warned they may resume military operations or withhold humanitarian aid unless all remains are returned.

In the most recent handover on Sunday, Hamas returned the bodies of three troops killed during the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on southern Israel. Israel's military confirmed the remains were those of Omer Neutra (an Israeli–American dual national), Oz Daniel and Col. Assaf Hamami.

So far, Israel has returned the remains of about 270 Palestinians to Gaza, including 45 handed over recently, Palestinian media report. Israeli authorities have not publicly identified those remains, and it is unclear whether they were people killed during the Oct. 7 attacks, Palestinian detainees who died in custody, or bodies taken from Gaza by Israeli forces during the war. Health officials in Gaza say they face difficulty identifying remains because they lack access to DNA testing kits.

Who are the eight hostages whose remains have not been returned?

Itay Chen — An Israeli–American from Netanya who served in a tank unit. He was abducted on Oct. 7 along with two crew members; one comrade also died and another was later released. Chen, who enjoyed basketball and studied human biology, was killed on Oct. 7 and his body was taken to Gaza. His father, Ruby Chen, has met U.S. officials seeking the return of all hostages. Itay is survived by his parents and two brothers.

Meny Godard — A former professional soccer player who served in the 1973 Mideast War and later worked in several roles at Kibbutz Be'eri. On Oct. 7 militants forced Meny and his wife, Ayelet, from their home and set it on fire. Ayelet was later killed and told their children that Meny had been killed before she died. The family held a double funeral; they are survived by four children and six grandchildren.

Hadar Goldin — The only person among the eight whose remains have been held in Gaza since before the current escalation. An Israeli soldier killed on Aug. 1, 2014, two hours after a cease-fire took effect that year, Goldin's body has remained in Gaza. He is survived by his parents and three siblings, including a twin. Earlier this year his family marked 4,000 days since his body was taken.

Ran Gvili — A member of an elite police unit who, despite recovering from a broken shoulder, rushed to help colleagues on Oct. 7. After aiding people fleeing the Nova music festival he was killed elsewhere while fighting militants; his body was taken to Gaza and his death was confirmed months later. He is survived by his parents and a sister.

Joshua Mollel — A Tanzanian agricultural student who arrived at Kibbutz Nahal Oz 19 days before Oct. 7 to gain practical experience. Rights groups and media reported that smaller militant groups posted social-media footage showing his killing. Mollel is survived by his parents and four siblings in Tanzania.

Dror Or — A father of three who managed the dairy farm at Kibbutz Be'eri and was an expert cheesemaker. On Oct. 7 his family hid in a safe room after militants set the house on fire; Dror and his wife, Yonat, were killed. Two of their children were abducted and later released during the November 2023 cease-fire.

Sudthisak Rinthalak — A Thai agricultural worker employed at Kibbutz Be'eri since 2017. On Oct. 7 some 31 Thai workers were kidnapped, the largest group of foreign nationals held; most were released in early cease-fires. Rinthalak is the last of three Thai hostages whose bodies remain in Gaza. Thailand's Foreign Ministry reports that dozens of Thai nationals have been killed during the war.

Lior Rudaeff — Born in Argentina and raised from age seven at Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak, Rudaeff volunteered for over 40 years as an ambulance driver and served on his community's emergency response team. He was killed while confronting militants on the morning of Oct. 7 and his body was taken to Gaza. Rudaeff is survived by four children and three grandchildren.

Context: The slow pace of returns, disputes over the identities of returned remains, and limited forensic capacity in Gaza have heightened tensions. Families and officials continue to press for a full accounting and for the return of all remains as part of wider international efforts to stabilize the region and address humanitarian needs.