Egyptian teams enter Gaza to help locate remains of slain hostages, Israeli official confirms
Israel is preparing for the possibility that Hamas will release the remains of two more hostages this evening; however, it is uncertain whether the remains will be returned.
Israeli leaders approved Egypt’s request to allow the entry of Egyptian equipment and personnel to assist as part of the efforts to locate and retrieve remains of slain hostages, an Israeli security official told The Jerusalem Post Saturday evening.
The team and equipment have entered the Gaza Strip. Israel is preparing for the possibility that Hamas will release the remains of two more hostages this evening, Army Radio and N12 News reported earlier, each citing an Israeli source.
It is uncertain whether the remains will be returned. On Friday, there were indications that Hamas was also preparing to return remains; however, the terror group did not.
Hamas could return eight more hostages to Israel; however, there are another five whose whereabouts are unknown, a senior Israeli official told Ynet.
The official told Ynet that Hamas is “playing games and stalling for time to extend the ceasefire, even without the second stage, which would require them to disarm.”
One security source was quoted by KAN on Friday evening as saying that no indication has been received from the Red Cross regarding an upcoming operation to return deceased hostages in the coming hours.”
KAN also quoted an Israeli source saying that the return of hostage bodies may be postponed until Saturday.
US Vice President JD Vance delivers a statement to the media alongside US Middle East Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, near Kiryat Gat, on October 21, 2025. (credit: Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
On Thursday, Defense Minister Israel Katz, IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, and senior Intelligence Directorate officials told US Vice President JD Vance in a meeting at the Kirya military headquarters that Hamas has the ability to return at least 10 hostage remains of the 13 still held in captivity without external search assistance, KAN also reported.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio took Vance’s place after he left Israel on Thursday. The US has been exerting significant pressure on Israel to maintain a ceasefire in Gaza.
Hamas using ceasefire to rebuild
IDF intelligence has recognized that Hamas is using the ceasefire to rebuild and regain control of Gaza, the KAN report said.
The remains of hostages were last returned on Tuesday night. The two that were returned were identified as Arie Zalmanovicz and Chief Sgt. First Class (res.) Tamir Adar.
