Israel has received body of a hostage, prime minister’s office says

CNN

Israel has received a coffin carrying the body of a deceased hostage, the prime minister’s office said in a statement late Friday.

The Red Cross transferred the body to Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel Security Agency (ISA) personnel in the Gaza Strip.

The body will be formally identified at the National Institute for Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv, the prime minister’s office said.

Hamas has also confirmed that it transferred the body to the Red Cross staff. Spokesman Hazem Qassem said in a statement that Hamas will “continue working to complete the entire exchange process.”

Prior to Friday, the militant group had released the remains of nine of the 28 deceased hostages held in Gaza.

Frustration has intensified in Israel over the delay in returning the bodies of remaining