5 Key Developments as Israel Confirms Hamas Handed Over Remains of Israeli-American Soldier Itay Chen

5 Key Developments as Israel Confirms Hamas Handed Over Remains of Israeli-American Soldier Itay Chen — the 21st hostage returned since the truce began. Israel has confirmed that the remains of Israeli-American soldier Staff Sergeant Itay Chen, who was abducted during the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks, were handed over by Hamas via the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Tuesday evening as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump.

“Following the completion of the identification process… IDF representatives informed the family of the fallen hostage, Staff Sergeant Itay Chen, that their loved one has been returned to Israel and positively identified,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement on Wednesday. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) also confirmed Chen’s identity in a separate announcement.

5 Key Developments as Israel Confirms Hamas Handed Over Remains of Israeli-American Soldier Itay Chen

A Soldier’s Final Battle

Chen, a 19-year-old dual Israeli-U.S. citizen, was serving with the IDF’s 7th Armored Brigade along the border with Gaza when Hamas and allied militants launched their surprise cross-border assault on October 7, 2023. The attack killed about 1,200 people and led to 251 hostages being taken into Gaza.

According to the Israeli military, Chen was killed inside his tank during fighting at Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of the hardest-hit communities. His body was subsequently taken by Hamas fighters into Gaza.

He had given his parents one final sign of life as the assault began. The military only confirmed his death five months later, in March 2024, stating that he had “fallen in combat.”

Hours before Chen’s body was handed over, his father, Ruby Chen, told AFP that the family was praying for closure:

“We feel the support of the entire nation, the people are behind us and want to see all the hostages returned. I hope the prime minister and the chief of staff understand this too — seize the opportunity of the ceasefire to finish this mission.”

His mother, Hagit Chen, said the family’s pain was “unbearable.” “Even when we break down, which happens every day, I remind myself that we have not finished our mission. We miss him; the pain is unbearable.”

Part of the Ongoing Ceasefire Exchanges

The return of Chen’s remains marks the 21st handover of deceased hostages by Hamas since the U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect on October 10, 2025.

Hamas’s military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, said Chen’s body was recovered in the Shejaiya neighborhood east of Gaza City during “ongoing excavation operations” in an area inside the ‘Yellow Line’ — the perimeter marking Israeli-controlled territory within Gaza.

The group said the discovery was made possible after Israel allowed Hamas teams and Red Cross personnel to access the site to search for remains.

The IDF confirmed the transfer of a coffin via the Red Cross and said Hamas was “required to uphold the agreement and take necessary steps to return all the deceased hostages.”

Reactions from Israel and the U.S.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu extended condolences to the Chen family and praised the efforts of the military and mediators.

“The return of Itay Chen is a national duty,” Netanyahu said. “We will continue to work tirelessly until every fallen hostage is brought home for proper burial.”

In Washington, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio wrote on X (formerly Twitter):

“The remains of Itay Chen, a young American taken hostage by Hamas at just 19 years old, have finally returned home. We honor his life, mourn his loss, and stand with his family.”

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a major Israeli advocacy group, welcomed Chen’s return but called for renewed urgency to recover the others.

“Please don’t stop until they are all back home. Until the last hostage,” it said in a statement.

Hamas: ‘Working to Complete the Process’

Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said on Tuesday that the militant group was continuing efforts to locate and return the bodies of deceased hostages.

“We are working to complete the process of handing over the bodies of the Israeli captives despite the difficulties and obstacles,” he said. “We are working to complete the entire exchange process as soon as possible.”

Hamas has blamed the slow pace on the extensive destruction in Gaza, saying many of the bodies remain buried beneath rubble from Israeli airstrikes.

Israel has accused Hamas of deliberately delaying the process to gain leverage in post-war negotiations.

Families of Other Fallen Hostages Call for Action

The families of slain hostages Capt. Omer Neutra and St.-Sgt. Oz Daniel, whose remains were returned earlier in the week, urged Netanyahu to act “with the same determination” to bring home all eight deceased hostages still believed to be in Gaza.

“It is being done,” Netanyahu told them, according to a statement from his office. “I am determined to return all the fallen hostages for proper burial.”

The prime minister also met with the family of Lt. Col. Asaf Hamami, another soldier killed on October 7 whose remains were recovered Sunday. Netanyahu offered condolences and praised Hamami as “the first officer to identify and declare the full scale of the invasion” that day, recalling his urgent message to the IDF command: “Guys, we’re at war, we’re at war.”

Hamami’s mother, Clara Hamami, expressed gratitude to the IDF and the prime minister for ensuring her son’s return.

Ceasefire Terms and Exchange Figures

Under the ceasefire deal brokered by U.S. President Trump last month, Hamas agreed to return all 48 hostages it still held — 20 alive and 28 deceased — within 72 hours. All the living hostages were freed on October 13 in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,718 detainees from Gaza.

Israel, in turn, has transferred the bodies of 270 Palestinians killed during the war to Gaza in exchange for the 18 Israeli hostages and two foreign nationals (a Thai and a Nepali) returned before Chen’s repatriation.

Following Tuesday’s exchange, the bodies of another 15 Palestinians are expected to be handed over in return for Chen. According to Israeli officials, five of the seven hostages still unreturned are Israelis, while one is Thai and one Tanzanian.

Gaza War Toll and Ongoing Violence

The October 7 attacks by Hamas and its allies triggered a full-scale Israeli military campaign in Gaza that has killed more than 68,800 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry. Although the ceasefire has largely held since October 10, sporadic violence continues.

On Tuesday, Gaza health authorities reported that an Israeli strike in Jabalia killed a man in northern Gaza. The IDF said its troops had targeted a “terrorist” who crossed into a zone under Israeli control and posed an “imminent threat.”

Israeli officials say that three soldiers have died since the truce began, while Gaza’s health authorities claim 239 Palestinians have been killed in intermittent clashes.

Hamas, Israel, and the Road to Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan

The slow progress in recovering hostages’ remains has also delayed the second phase of President Trump’s Gaza peace plan, which includes proposals for Gaza’s governance, Hamas’s disarmament, and the territory’s reconstruction.

According to diplomatic sources, the U.S. has drafted a UN Security Council resolution proposing a two-year mandate for a transitional body called the Board of Peace and a multinational International Stabilisation Force (ISF).

The draft reportedly outlines that the ISF would:

• Work with Israel and Egypt to secure Gaza’s borders,
• “Ensure the process of demilitarising the Gaza Strip,”
• Protect civilians, and
• Train a new Palestinian police force.

It adds that the ISF would be authorized to “use all necessary measures” to fulfill its mandate.

Diplomatic officials told Reuters the draft has not yet been formally circulated among Security Council members, as Washington continues consultations with Israel and key Arab states.

Families and Advocates Demand Continued Pressure

In Israel, families of both living and deceased hostages continue to press for action.

“The return of Itay and others gives us closure, but the mission is not complete,” said one spokesperson for the Hostages Forum. “We demand the government use every channel, diplomatic and humanitarian, to bring the last seven home.”

The group also called for greater transparency around the ceasefire negotiations and future prisoner exchanges.

A Symbol of Shared Loss

The case of Itay Chen has resonated in both Israel and the United States, symbolizing the dual toll of the conflict and the enduring bond between the two allies.

In New York and Tel Aviv, vigils were held for Chen on Wednesday night. Mourners lit candles and displayed photos of the young soldier in uniform beside American and Israeli flags.

“He was proud to serve both his countries,” one family friend told local media. “His death and return remind us of the human cost of this war — and of the importance of peace.”

Chen’s funeral is expected to take place later this week at Mount Herzl Military Cemetery in Jerusalem, with attendance from Israeli and U.S. officials.

A Fragile Calm

While the ceasefire continues to hold, the return of Chen’s remains underscores the fragility of the peace process and the unfinished humanitarian work that remains in Gaza.

Both sides face mounting pressure — Israel from hostage families demanding closure, and Hamas from Gazans desperate for reconstruction and relief.

As diplomatic efforts intensify, the White House has reaffirmed its commitment to “seeing every hostage returned and ensuring Gaza’s future stability.”

“We mourn Itay Chen and all victims of this conflict,” Secretary Rubio said. “Our mission remains peace — but peace built on justice, compassion, and accountability.”

Conclusion

The repatriation of Staff Sergeant Itay Chen’s remains brings an emotional end to one family’s ordeal but highlights the broader humanitarian and political challenges that persist under the Gaza ceasefire.

With seven deceased hostages still in Gaza, and tens of thousands of Palestinians dead, both sides remain under scrutiny to uphold their commitments — as Washington prepares to steer the conflict’s next phase toward reconstruction and governance.

For Israel, Chen’s homecoming is both a moment of mourning and a reminder of the high price of war. For Gaza, it underscores how far the road to peace still stretches.

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