TEL AVIV, October 19. /TASS/. With the mediation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Israeli military in the Gaza strip has received two more coffins with remains of hostages who died in the enclave, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

According to the statement, the coffins will be delivered to the Israeli territory for identification.

"The effort to return our hostages is ongoing and will not cease until the last hostage is returned," the premier’s office said.

On the morning of October 13 this year, radicals from the Palestinian movement Hamas, in accordance with the peace settlement agreements in Gaza, released 20 Israeli hostages who had remained in the enclave after two years. Later that evening, through the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Israeli side received the first four coffins with the remains of the deceased abductees. Israeli authorities immediately expressed dissatisfaction with the fact that only four bodies out of 28 were returned in the first phase. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz called this a deviation from the agreement and warned that further delays by the radicals would have consequences. On October 14, four more coffins were handed over to Israel.

Netanyahu announced on October 18 that the Rafah crossing on the border between Egypt and the Gaza Strip will remain closed "until further notice," with the issue of its reopening to be considered after Hamas implements the terms of the agreement on the return of the remains of deceased hostages,.