20 October 2025

Israel’s Stunning Move: Rafah Crossing To Reopen As Hostage Crisis Revelations Ignite Hope And Tension – OpEd

Henry Davies

On October 14, 2025, a somber exchange unfolded at the Rafah crossing, where the International Committee of the Red Cross facilitated the handover of four bodies from Gaza to Israel. This came after days of tension, with the crossing shuttered and Israel threatening to slash aid shipments if Hamas failed to honor its truce obligations by returning the remains of hostages.

Initially, Israel planned to halve the number of aid trucks entering Gaza, but after delays in the return of the bodies, the government reversed course. Now, roughly 600 trucks daily—loaded with supplies from the United Nations, international organizations, private companies, and donor nations, are expected to stream through Rafah, bringing vital relief to a battered region.

The following day, October 15, brought bittersweet clarity for some families. Israel’s national forensic institute confirmed the identities of three of the four bodies. Among them was Ouriel Baruch, a 35-year-old from Jerusalem, abducted during the horrific attack on the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023. His family’s grief poured out in a heartrending statement: “It is with immense sadness and immense pain that we announce the return of the body of our beloved Ouriel… after two long years of prayers, hope, and faith.”

Also identified were Tamir Nimrodi, an 18-year-old soldier captured at a base near Gaza, and Eitan Levy, a 53-year-old taxi driver killed after dropping off a friend at Kibbutz Beeri that same fateful morning. The fourth body, however, delivered a shocking twist: after overnight forensic tests, the Israeli military announced it did not belong to any known hostage. In a stern statement, the army demanded that Hamas “make all necessary efforts” to return the deceased hostages still unaccounted for.

The handover on October 14 marked the second such exchange that week, following four bodies returned on October 13. More were expected later on October 15, according to RFI’s Jerusalem correspondent Frédérique Misslin, though around 20 deceased hostages remain missing. Hamas has admitted difficulty in locating all the remains, while Israel keeps up the pressure to fulfill the truce terms. For the families, the pain is raw. Funerals for the identified victims were set to take place throughout the day, casting a heavy shadow over communities already scarred by loss.

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