Israel allows Red Cross, Egyptian teams to recover hostage bodies in Gaza

By Xinhua Published: Oct 28, 2025 09:53 AM

An Egyptian Excavator digs during searching for Israeli remains in the southern Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, Oct. 26, 2025. Egypt has dispatched a specialized team and equipment to Gaza to assist in recovering the bodies of Israeli hostages held in the enclave, Egypt's Al-Qahera News reported Saturday. (Photo: Xinhua)

Red Cross members are seen as an Egyptian Excavator is working at al-Tuffah area east of Gaza City, Oct. 27, 2025. Red Cross and Egyptian teams have been allowed to enter the Gaza Strip to search for the bodies of hostages, Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said on Sunday. (Photo: Xinhua)

Red Cross and Egyptian teams have been allowed to enter the Gaza Strip to search for the bodies of hostages, Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said on Sunday.

Speaking at a news briefing, Bedrosian said Israel had permitted the teams to move beyond the "yellow line," which marks the Israeli army's withdrawal zone under the current ceasefire agreement, to assist in the recovery effort.

She said Hamas has not yet returned the bodies of 13 hostages. Under the agreement, Hamas is required to hand over the remains of 28 deceased hostages, in addition to the 20 living hostages it had released earlier this month.

The remark came as Hamas said it was expanding its search for the bodies of the dead hostages, a day after an Egyptian team of experts entered Gaza with heavy equipment to assist in the recovery.