‘Israel’ hands over 30 Palestinian bodies under Gaza ceasefire deal

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
31 Oct 2025 23:09
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Tel Aviv transfers 30 Palestinian bodies to Gaza under the ceasefire deal, as reports of torture and Israeli violations continue to emerge.

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People gather to greet freed Palestinian prisoners arriving on buses in the Gaza Strip, outside Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, Monday, October 13, 2025 (AP)

Tel Aviv handed over to the Gaza authorities the bodies of another 30 Palestinians held at Israeli prisons as part of their ceasefire exchange deal, Palestinian news agency Safa reported on Friday.

The bodies were transferred to Nasser Hospital in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis. This is reportedly the fifth handover of prisoner bodies, which brings the total count up to 225. Many bodies are said to bear traces of torture and execution, such as burns, bound hands, and eyes.

The Guardian reported last week that the Israeli regime had handed over to Gaza at least 135 mutilated bodies of Palestinians who were held at the notorious Israeli Sde Teiman military base. The facility is believed to be the site of summary executions, torture, and sexual abuse. The daily reported that photos of Sde Teiman detainees in its possession showed people blindfolded and handcuffed.

The ceasefire agreement between the Israeli occupation and the Palestinian movement Hamas took effect on October 10. On October 13, US President Donald Trump, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Sisi, Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a declaration on the Gaza ceasefire.

Hamas released all 20 of the surviving captives who had been held in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023. In exchange, the Israeli occupation released 1,718 Palestinian detainees from Gaza and 250 Palestinian prisoners serving long prison sentences.

Israeli violations hinder recoveries, deliveries

The al-Qassam Brigades previously withheld the handover of the two bodies in response to Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement, citing heavy aerial bombardments on Gaza despite intensive efforts to recover the remains. The process required limited Egyptian equipment and machinery to enter Gaza to assist with the retrieval.

The brigades emphasized that ongoing Israeli military escalations and violations in Gaza are severely hindering search, excavation, and recovery efforts.

"Any Israeli escalation will delay the recovery of more bodies," the statement warned, stressing that the occupation's actions are obstructing progress in locating and identifying the remains of its deceased.