GAZA — The Gaza Health Ministry said Saturday it received the remains of 15 more Palestinians returned by Israel through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), bringing the total number of bodies handed over to 135 since the start of the ceasefire.

The ministry said medical teams are handling the remains in accordance with forensic and medical protocols, including examination, documentation, and identification before returning them to families.

“Some of the bodies show signs of abuse, beatings, bound hands, and blindfolded eyes,” the ministry said.

It added that families have so far identified seven victims through an online reference system created to match remains with missing persons.

Ismail al-Thawabta, director of the Government Media Office in Gaza, said the remains of 120 unidentified Palestinians were earlier received through the ICRC in three groups, some showing signs of torture, burns, and field executions. He said Israel provided no data or names, making identification nearly impossible.

Authorities in Gaza estimate that around 9,500 people remain missing, some likely still trapped under rubble, while the fate of others remains unknown.

Under the ongoing ceasefire deal, Hamas released 20 living Israeli hostages and handed over the remains of 11 others in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
The agreement, brokered by US President Donald Trump, includes plans to rebuild Gaza and establish a new governing mechanism without Hamas.

Since October 2023, Israeli attacks have killed nearly 68,000 Palestinians in Gaza, most of them women and children, leaving the enclave largely uninhabitable. — Agencies