The remains returned to Israel by Hamas on Monday night do not belong to any of the missing deceased hostages, according to an Israeli official and an Israeli source familiar with the matter.

The Israeli government says it has allowed a member of Hamas into territory in Gaza controlled by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to help Red Cross and Egyptian personnel search for the bodies of 13 remaining dead hostages.

The latest coffin handed over to Israel by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas contained the remains of an Israeli hostage whose body was recovered by the military almost two years ago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said on Tuesday.

Hamas said Monday it would hand over the remains of a deceased hostage, the 16th since a ceasefire began, shortly after families of missing Israelis called for a suspension of the Gaza truce until all captives' bodies are returned.

The latest coffin handed over to Israel by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas is believed to hold remains of a hostage who was already returned, Israeli media outlets reported on Tuesday. If the latest remains are not identified as those of a hostage still missing,

The Red Cross received the remains of a deceased hostage from Hamas in the Gaza Strip, according to Israel Defense Forces and the Israel Security Agency.

Israel has accused Hamas of violating the ceasefire deal by withholding the bodies of the remaining 13 deceased hostages thought to have died during or after the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023. Hamas has said the return of the remaining bodies "may take some time" due to the destruction wrought in Gaza.

The government says "a Hamas person" was helping Red Cross and Egyptian personnel trying to find hostage bodies.