Israel to open Gaza aid after more hostage bodies return

The Rafah crossing into Gaza is set to open for aid deliveries after Israel said Hamas had returned the remains of more hostages. Earlier re...

The Rafah crossing into Gaza is set to open for aid deliveries after Israel said Hamas had returned the remains of more hostages. Earlier reports said Israel would limit deliveries until more bodies were returned.

Hamas has so far handed over eight bodies of deceased hostages to Israel, with 20 more to be handed over under the ceasefire agreement The Rafah crossing in southern Gaza will reopen for aid deliveries Hamas is set to hand over four more hostage bodies on Wednesday, according to Israeli media reports

Below is a roundup of stories and analysis from and about Israel, Gaza and the broader Middle East on October 15, 2025:

Israeli government cancels Gaza sanctions after more bodies released — report

The Israeli government has reportedly rescinded measures aimed to pressure Hamas into returning the bodies of deceased hostages more quickly.

The measures, which were to include curbs on humanitarian aid and keeping the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt shut, were announced on Tuesday after the remains of only four of 28 dead hostages held in Gaza were handed over.

The Israeli public broadcaster Kan said the turnaround has come after Hamas returned four more bodies on Tuesday night that it said were those of hostages, without naming them.

Identifying the bodies could take up to two days, Kan said.

The Times of Israel has reported, citing sources familiar with the matter, that Hamas has said it will return four more bodies of deceased hostages to Israel later on Wednesday.

The cancellation of the sanctions means that the Rafah crossing will be reopened, and humanitarian aid will be permitted into Gaza as planned, Kan said.

As part of the ceasefire agreement with Hamas, 600 trucks of aid are to enter the Palestinian territory per day. Before the bodies were returned, Israel had said it would limit the number of trucks to 300.

Hamas to hand over remains of more hostages Wednesday — report

Islamist militant group Hamas intends to hand the remains of four more deceased hostages to Israel on Wednesday, the Times of Israel reported.

Hamas has already handed over eight other coffins as part of the ceasefire agreement.

The Palestinian militant group had agreed to return the remains of a total of 28 hostages under the terms of the deal.

The Red Cross said on Tuesday that the return of remains might take days or even weeks.

Hamas has said that it needs time to recover the bodies due to the widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip.

Military says four hostage bodies arrive in Israel

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that the remains of four more hostages handed over by Hamas on Tuesday had reached Israel.

The bodies were handed over to the Red Cross on Tuesday.

"Four coffins of deceased hostages... crossed the border into the state of Israel a short while ago," the Israeli military said in a statement.

It said that the bodies were being taken for forensic testing.

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As a the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas continues to hold, tension remains over the return of deceased hostages remaining in Gaza.

Israel had said it would limit aid to Gaza if the bodies were not returned more quickly.

Under the terms of the agreement, militant group Hamas is to hand the remains of 28 deceased hostages over to Israel, with eight having been released so far.

Hamas has argued that it requires time to recover all the bodies due to the widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip, an argument Israel has not accepted.

On Monday, Hamas released the last 20 living hostages and Israel released some 2,000 detainees held in its jails.

Stay with us for more from okay1's coverage of developments in Israel and the Palestinian territories.