Israel on Monday returned the remains of 15 Palestinians to Gaza, the latest step forward in a U.S.-brokered ceasefire, a day after Palestinian militants released the remains of an another Israeli hostage.

Among those waiting at Nasser Hospital was a mother still searching for her missing 15-year-old son, who disappeared on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a surprise attack on southern Israel, killing around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and kidnapping 251 others.

“I came to Nasser hospital hoping to find my son Rayyan,” said Shaima Abu Ouda.

“Rayyan has been missing for two years. I don’t know his fate — whether he’s still alive or dead.”

Rayyan’s mother said her son vanished on his way to school in Beit Hanoun, where the family once lived near the separating wall between Gaza and southern Israel.

They have not heard from him since.

Gaza’s Health Ministry said that with the latest transfer, the total number of bodies returned to Gaza has reached 315.

For every hostage body that's returned from Gaza, Israel has been releasing the remains of 15 Palestinians, according to the ministry.

At Nasser Hospital, paramedics and hospital workers lifted white body bags off stretchers and onto hospital beds, in preparation to try to identify the bodies.

Only 91 of the bodies have been identified so far.

Forensic work has been severely hampered by the lack of DNA testing kits in Gaza.

In many cases, the ministry has resorted to posting photographs of the remains online, hoping families can identify their loved ones.

"Last night, I was looking at some pictures and saw the same clothes my son was wearing on the day he disappeared, October 7th. I came to the hospital to identify him, but it wasn't my son; it was someone else,” Abu Ouda said.

”My eldest son was martyred two months after Rayan went missing, and my husband was martyred seven months ago. I stayed in the north hoping to find Rayan,” she added.