Hamas militants said the bodies of the four people who were returned to Tel Aviv on Thursday morning were those of a mother and two children from the Bibas family, along with 84-year-old peace activist Oded Lifshitz.

It is the first time that Hamas – which has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2006 – has returned the bodies of hostages seized during the terror attacks it launched on 7 October 2023, since the ceasefire with Israel came into effect last month.

Addressing correspondents at the daily briefing in New York, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said that under international law, any handover of a dead person’s remains “must comply with the prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, ensuring respect for the dignity of the deceased – and their families.”

“I can tell you that the Secretary-General condemns the parading of bodies and displaying of the coffins of the deceased hostages in the manner seen this morning, which is abhorrent and appalling,” said Mr. Dujarric.

Ceasefire must continue

The Secretary-General also reiterated his appeal to all combatants who are party to the fragile ceasefire process to stand by their commitments and continue the full implementation of the deal.

Six hostages are due to be freed on Saturday.

Hamas claimed in November 2023 that Shiri Bibas and her two sons had been killed during an Israeli airstrike but provided no evidence. Israelis gathered in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on Thursday observed a minute’s silence following news of the handover.

“The hearts of an entire nation lie in tatters,” said Israel’s President Isaac Herzog.

Respect for the dead

The UN chief urged the parties to the conflict “to respect the remains of the dead and to return them to their relatives, consistent with applicable obligations under international humanitarian law and human rights law.”

The UN has long called for the release of all hostages, a permanent ceasefire and irreversible progress towards a two-State solution, Mr. Dujarric reminded.

Aid for civilians in Gaza continues to scale-up

The Humanitarian Coordinator for the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Muhannad Hadi, together with the head of UN migration agency IOM, Amy Pope, heard pleas for urgent shelter and support during a visit to southern areas of Gaza on Thursday.

Mr. Hadi and Ms. Pope also met with humanitarian partners, staff and heads of UN agencies to discuss the ongoing response.

Humanitarian assistance in Gaza continues to scale up, said Mr. Dujarric, with nearly all those in need now reached with food parcels, including rations for one month for most families.

Polio vaccinations

Meanwhile, preparations continue for the third round of polio vaccinations across Gaza, due to resume on Saturday.

The World Health Organization (WHO) and children’s agency UNICEF have warned the current environment in Gaza “creates ideal conditions for further spread of the poliovirus, as transmission can happen in overcrowded shelters and when water, sanitation and hygiene infrastructure is damaged.”

The UN reproductive health agency, UNFPA, reports that nearly 2,400 postpartum kits have been distributed to all hospitals that provide maternity services over the past two weeks, Mr. Dujarric added.