KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) — On Saturday, Israel returned the bodies of 15 Palestinians to Gaza, as confirmed by hospital officials in the Strip. This occurred a day after militants provided the remains of an Israeli hostage to Israel, continuing the delicate ceasefire agreement established during the ongoing two-year conflict.

This body exchange represents a significant progress within the fragile U.S.-brokered truce. According to the terms of the deal, for every Israeli hostage returned, Israel is obligated to surrender 15 Palestinian bodies. The Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis received the 15 bodies shortly after Israel confirmed the Israeli remains returned on Friday night belonged to Lior Rudaeff, who had died while fighting against Hamas during the Oct. 7, 2023 attack that triggered the war.

Details concerning Rudaeff were shared by the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, indicating that he was originally from Argentina and relocated to Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak in southern Israel during childhood. He was a dedicated ambulance driver for over 40 years and actively participated in the community’s emergency response team. The forum confirmed that Rudaeff lost his life in the Hamas-led attack, with his body subsequently taken to Gaza.

Since the ceasefire commenced on October 10, various Palestinian militants have returned the remains of 23 hostages, including Rudaeff's body, leaving five hostages still in Gaza. Cumulatively, with the return of the 15 bodies on Saturday, Israel has now given back the bodies of 300 Palestinians. However, Gaza's Health Ministry has faced difficulties in identifying these bodies due to a lack of access to DNA testing kits, managing to identify merely 89 so far.

The ceasefire agreement also stipulated that Israel must facilitate a significant increase in aid entering Gaza. However, according to Farhan Haqq, the deputy spokesperson for the United Nations, current relief efforts remain vastly inadequate. While over 200,000 metric tons of aid is positioned for entry into Gaza, only 37,000 tons, primarily consisting of food supplies, have been admitted to date.

The Hamas-led attack on southern Israel in 2023 resulted in approximately 1,200 fatalities and 251 people being taken hostage. In retaliation, Israel's extensive military offensive has claimed over 68,800 Palestinian lives in Gaza, as reported by Gaza's Health Ministry, which is governed by Hamas and maintains detailed records that independent experts generally regard as reliable.

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Reported from Jerusalem by Frankel, with contributions from Associated Press writer Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut.