The remains handed over to Israel by Hamas on Monday evening have been confirmed not to belong to any of the identified missing hostages, according to a senior Israeli official and another source familiar with the case.

Israeli authorities initially reported receiving a casket from Hamas through Gaza, believing it contained a deceased hostage. However, after forensic testing, it was determined that the remains did not match any of the 13 hostages who are still considered missing in Gaza.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to convene a meeting on Tuesday to determine Israel’s course of action in light of these findings. Measures under discussion include expanding the designated buffer area within Gaza, taking control of more territory, or reestablishing control over the Netzarim corridor—a key route that cuts through the enclave.

Another Israeli source stated that any strategic decisions would be closely coordinated with the United States. One option on the table is to limit access to humanitarian aid, though Washington has reportedly expressed opposition to such action.

Authorities urged the public and media to avoid speculating on the identity of the remains until official notifications could be made to the affected families.

The body was delivered to Israeli officials by the Red Cross, who received it from Hamas operatives in northern Gaza.

Previously, a body provided in an earlier transfer was also found not to be a hostage but a Palestinian civilian from Gaza. Hamas claimed the mistake was due to a misidentification, not an intentional act of deception.

Public frustration in Israel continues to grow over the stalled return of the deceased hostages, as outlined in the existing ceasefire terms. Demonstrations have persisted in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, with citizens demanding the repatriation of their loved ones’ remains.

A twelfth deceased hostage was recently identified after two bodies were sent back to Israel overnight, according to a local kibbutz.

As part of the ongoing effort to locate remaining bodies, heavy equipment from Egypt entered Gaza this week to assist in recovery operations.

In previous statements, Hamas claimed it had already returned all remains it could locate, suggesting that further searches would require extensive resources and specialized gear.

Israeli intelligence believes Hamas may lack the capacity to retrieve all the bodies still inside Gaza, though it is thought the group knows the specific locations of some of the missing hostages.

According to two senior U.S. advisors, assurances were received via intermediaries that Hamas would make genuine efforts to locate and return the bodies still unaccounted for.

U.S. Vice President JD Vance, while downplaying concerns over the stability of the ceasefire, declined to predict when all of the deceased hostages might be returned or when Hamas would be fully disarmed.

“Bringing the hostages home for proper burials is a shared priority,” said Vance during a press briefing in Israel. “However, this is a complicated task and will take time.”

President Donald Trump stated that he would consider allowing Israel to resume military operations in Gaza if Hamas fails to comply with the conditions of the ceasefire agreement.

Despite the challenges, Netanyahu has insisted that the conflict with Hamas is far from resolved.

Even amid these developments, a Gazan father continues to search beneath the rubble for the remains of his family members.

Although tensions remain, the ceasefire has largely endured.

The truce faced a major test recently when two Israeli soldiers were killed within Gaza territory, prompting retaliatory airstrikes from Israel.

Following those attacks, both sides reiterated their commitment to the ceasefire agreement.

U.S. diplomatic officials, including key figures behind the truce, such as Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, have traveled to Israel since the ceasefire began to support ongoing dialogue.

In Gaza, many Palestinians have returned to the remains of their homes after years of conflict and devastation have reshaped the area.

Thousands of missing individuals are believed to be buried beneath the collapsed buildings.

Since the ceasefire, Hamas has moved swiftly to reassert control in areas vacated by Israeli forces, raising concerns over the future governance and security structure of Gaza if Hamas is disarmed.