Israel: Gaza 'Findings' are not the remains of a hostage

On Wednesday, Israeli authorities stated that certain items brought from the Gaza Strip are not linked to one of the last two hostages who died, amid efforts to maintain a fragile ceasefire.

The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reported that forensic examinations led to this determination. Families of the two deceased hostages, whose bodies remain in Gaza, have been notified.

Earlier, Hamas, the Islamist Palestinian group, claimed that the remains of one of the final hostages in Gaza had been located. These were then handed over to the Israeli military through the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Instances of mistakenly identified hostage remains have occurred before, sparking anger within Israel. Alongside the Israeli hostage, the remains of a Thai national abducted from Israel are also reported to still be in Gaza.

A US-supported ceasefire, effective since October 10, has paused the conflict after two years of hostilities.

Author: Caleb Jennings