Israeli authorities have accused Hamas of violating the October 10 ceasefire agreement by transferring the remains of three unidentified individuals that do not match any of the hostages abducted during the October 7, 2023 attacks.

The exchange, facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross, has intensified diplomatic and humanitarian tensions amid fragile truce conditions.

Military officials told the Associated Press that the remains handed over late Friday failed to correspond with any of the 251 hostages taken during the initial assault. The transfer was part of Hamas’ obligation to return 28 deceased hostages in exchange for the release of 360 Palestinian detainees. This marks the second such discrepancy since the ceasefire’s implementation; on October 15, one of four bodies returned was also deemed unrelated, prompting retaliatory Israeli airstrikes that reportedly killed over 100 people in Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu authorized those strikes earlier this week after Hamas allegedly returned a body previously recovered by Israeli forces nearly two years ago. Israeli officials labeled the act a “clear violation” of the ceasefire terms. Under the agreement, Hamas released all living captives in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, while Israel committed to troop withdrawals, suspension of military offensives, and increased humanitarian aid.

Eleven hostage remains remain unaccounted for, which Hamas attributes to the difficulty of locating bodies in the rubble of northern Gaza. The Gaza Health Ministry, lacking DNA identification kits, reported receiving 30 Palestinian bodies from Israel on Friday at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. Of the 225 bodies repatriated to date, only 75 have been successfully identified and returned to families. Officials in Gaza say the delays are compounding humanitarian distress in a region where more than 42,000 people have died since the war began.

Meanwhile, violence continues in the West Bank. On Friday, 15-year-old Yamen Hamed was buried in Silwad after Palestinian medics said he was shot by Israeli soldiers while meeting friends the previous day. His father alleged that ambulance access was delayed, contributing to the boy’s death en route to medical care. The Israeli military claimed Hamed was a “terrorist” carrying an explosive device but provided no supporting evidence. The incident adds to the more than 500 Palestinian deaths reported in the West Bank this year.

Hamas denied any deliberate breach of the ceasefire, citing logistical challenges in recovering remains from heavily damaged areas and Israeli officials have warned of further military action if compliance continues to falter.