Occupation hands over the remains of 15 martyrs from the residents of Gaza Strip

SadaNews - The Israeli occupation authorities handed over the remains of 15 Palestinians from the Gaza Strip on Thursday.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) clarified in a statement that it facilitated the transfer of the remains after recovering the body of the last Israeli hostage.

It stated: "This step represents the conclusion of a long process that aimed to reunite families and support the implementation of the ceasefire agreement."

The process began in October with the release and transfer of 20 living hostages and 1,808 detainees. In subsequent stages, the ICRC facilitated the return of the remains, including 27 of 28 hostages and 360 Palestinians, according to the statement.

The statement added: "The ICRC undertook this complex humanitarian task, which requires meticulous logistical and security planning to minimize risks to the lives of all participants, at the request of the parties involved and in coordination with them, with the support of mediators. This work reflects the ICRC's established role as a neutral mediator, a role it has played in supporting release and transfer operations since the beginning of the conflict."

Since October 2023, the ICRC has supported the return of 195 hostages, including 35 remains, in addition to 3,472 detainees. They also facilitated the transfer of 360 Palestinian remains to Gaza.

Julien Lerison, head of the ICRC mission in Israel and the occupied territories, stated: "We are relieved to contribute to reuniting families with their loved ones, and we hope that the return of the remains has given those families an opportunity to mourn."

He added: "It is essential for the ceasefire agreement to hold after this phase, and to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, and for international humanitarian law to be respected, so that the people can attempt to rebuild their lives with dignity."

He continued: "Reopening the Rafah crossing plays an important role in meeting the urgent needs of the population. More broadly, enabling the entry of specialized materials required for rehabilitating infrastructure, as well as recovering and identifying remains in a manner that preserves their dignity, is essential in this regard."

The committee stated: "In Gaza, although humanitarian conditions have improved, they remain catastrophic, and the population continues to face death, destruction, and immense suffering. Thousands of families are still awaiting any news about their missing relatives, and many of them are believed to be trapped under the rubble. Additionally, many families face severe difficulties in identifying their loved ones due to the limitations of forensic capabilities."

Lerison stated: "There is still much work to be done, and no entity can undertake this work alone."