Gaza: The Gaza Health Ministry announced that it has 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 commencement of the ceasefire.

According to Anadolu Agency, the ministry stated that medical teams are handling the remains following approved forensic and medical protocols, which include examination, documentation, and identification procedures before returning them to the families. The ministry revealed that some of the bodies show signs of abuse, beatings, bound hands, and blindfolded eyes.

The ministry further mentioned that families have so far identified seven victims through an online reference system established to match remains with missing persons. On Friday, Ahmad Dhahir, director of forensic medicine at the Nasser Hospital, informed that due to a lack of scientific tools, the Health Ministry launched an online portal displaying select, censored photos of the bodies to aid families in identifying missing relatives remotely.

Ismail al-Thawabta, director of the Government Media Office in Gaza, also reported that the ministry received through the ICRC the remains of 120 unidentified Palestinians in three groups. He noted that some of the bodies bore marks of torture, burns, and field executions, while Israel provided no data or names, complicating the identification process.

Authorities in Gaza estimate that around 9,500 people remain missing, with some likely still under the rubble, while the fate of others remains unknown. Hamas released 20 living Israeli hostages and handed over the remains of 11 more captives in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners under the ceasefire agreement.

The agreement was reached between Israel and Hamas last week, based on a plan presented by US President Donald Trump. Phase one included the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. The plan also envisages the rebuilding of Gaza and the establishment of a new governing mechanism without Hamas.

Since October 2023, the Israeli war has resulted in the deaths of 68,116 people and left 170,200 others injured, the Gaza Health Ministry reported on Saturday. The ministry added that a number of victims remain trapped under the rubble and on the roads, as ambulance and civil defense crews are still unable to reach them.