Hamas quietly handed over the remains of another Israeli hostage to the International Committee of the Red Cross late Wednesday, advancing the somber exchanges under the US-brokered Gaza ceasefire that took effect on October 10. The Israeli military confirmed the transfer, noting the body was recovered from collapsed buildings in the heavily bombed Shejaiya neighborhood east of Gaza City. The handover occurred at 9 pm local time, marking the 21st set of remains returned so far, though Israel has challenged one delivery as unidentifiable.

This grim ritual is a pivotal condition for the truce’s next phase. Hamas has now released all 20 living Israeli captives and 21 bodies, blaming extensive destruction for delays in locating more. Israel, in exchange, freed nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and returned 285 bodies of those killed since the war began in October 2023. Full hostage recovery remains Israel’s firm demand before discussing Gaza’s reconstruction and new governance excluding Hamas.

Daily violence undermines the fragile peace. Israeli troops shot dead two Palestinians approaching an occupied zone in a “threatening” way, while Gazan health officials said one was simply collecting firewood. The military could not confirm any connection between incidents. Reduced strikes allow displaced families to return home and aid to flow, with forces pulled back to a yellow demarcation line.

Both sides accuse each other of violations and appeal to Washington for enforcement. Hamas points to rubble-strewn sites, while Israel alleges deliberate delays. These corpse swaps offer families closure but highlight deep mistrust in the process. Transfers raise the stakes once more. Will the dead keep the ceasefire alive, or will new killings shatter it? Gaza’s truce hangs on bodies, not trust.