Jerusalem — The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed early Tuesday that it has received and identified the remains of three hostages returned by Hamas, marking another somber chapter in Israel’s months-long effort to bring home those kidnapped during the Gaza conflict.

The IDF identified the fallen as Col. Asaf Hamami, Capt. Omer Neutra, and Staff Sgt. Oz Daniel, whose bodies were handed over overnight following negotiations mediated through international partners. All three had been held in Gaza since Hamas’s October 7 attacks that triggered the ongoing war.

In a statement, the military said the identification process was completed “with absolute certainty,” allowing families to begin the process of burial and mourning. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump were briefed on the return operation, with Trump reaffirming U.S. support for Israel’s ongoing efforts to secure the release — or recovery — of all remaining hostages.

Israeli officials noted that eight hostages’ bodies remain in Gaza, alongside others believed to still be held alive by Hamas or its affiliated factions. Military sources emphasized that operations in central and southern Gaza continue, both to weaken Hamas’s infrastructure and to retrieve the remaining captives.

The recovery of these hostages’ remains comes amid a fragile ceasefire, one that President Trump’s administration helped broker earlier this fall. Israeli and U.S. officials have warned that Hamas will face “immediate consequences” should the ceasefire terms be violated or if further hostages are harmed.

For many in Israel, the return of these soldiers brings a mixture of grief and resolve — a reminder of both the personal cost of defending the nation and the enduring determination to bring every Israeli, living or fallen, back home.