Bodies, Nov. 4 -- How a Fragile Ceasefire Unraveled into New Crises

The calculus of bodies

On the ground in Gaza and Tel Aviv, negotiators have treated returned remains as both relief and bargaining chip. According to Reuters reporting, Hamas returned the remains of Israeli soldiers this week; shortly thereafter Israel released dozens of Palestinian bodies in response. The International Committee of the Red Cross, the impartial intermediary tasked with overseeing transfers, has emphasised that such exchanges must be handled with dignity and forensic care, a warning underscored by the decomposed and often unidentifiable condition of many of the remains.

Gaza's health authorities report hundreds of Palestinian bodies returned so far; Isr...