The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) today facilitated the return of 15 deceased Palestinians to Gaza, after the remains of the final deceased hostage were recovered by Israeli authorities. This marks the completion of a months-long operation that reunited families and supported the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.

The operation began in October with the release and transfer of 20 living hostages and 1,808 detainees. In subsequent phases, the ICRC facilitated the return of the deceased, including 27 out of 28 hostages, and 360 Palestinians.

The ICRC undertook this complex humanitarian work, which requires meticulous logistical and security planning to minimize the risk to life for anyone involved, strictly at the request of, and in coordination with, the parties along with the support of the mediators. This work reflects the ICRC’s long-standing role as a neutral intermediary – one that has supported similar release and transfer operations since the start of the conflict.

Since October 2023, the ICRC has supported the return of 195 hostages – including 35 deceased – and 3,472 detainees. The ICRC also facilitated the transfer of 360 deceased Palestinians to Gaza.

“We are relieved to have helped reunite families with their loved ones. For families whose deceased relatives were returned, we hope this brought the possibility to fully mourn,” said Julien Lerisson, head of the ICRC delegation in Israel and the Occupied Territories.

“It is essential that the ceasefire agreement holds beyond this phase, that significantly more humanitarian assistance is allowed and facilitated into Gaza, and that international humanitarian law (IHL) is upheld so people can begin to rebuild their lives with dignity,” he added.

“Reopening the Rafah crossing to pedestrian movement plays an important role in addressing people’s immediate needs. More broadly, ensuring the rapid and unimpeded flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza, are critical to meeting people’s urgent needs, enabling the entry of specialized items required for reconstruction, as well as and for the dignified recovery and identification of human remains is essential in that regard.”

In Gaza, humanitarian conditions, while improving, have remained dire. People continue to face death, destruction and immense suffering. Thousands of families are still waiting for news of missing relatives, many believed to remain beneath the rubble. Many families are also facing significant difficulties identifying their loved ones because of limited forensic capacities.

“There is still much work to be done, and no single entity can shoulder this work alone,” Lerisson said.