Excavators supplied by Egypt rumbled through the rubble in Nuseirat, central Gaza, on Friday, as the search continues for the last remaining bodies of Israeli hostages.

The remains of three hostages taken during the October 7, 2023, attack that ignited the war are still in Gaza.

The search area in Nuseirat was overseen by members of the military wing of Islamic Jihad.

Since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began on October 10, the remains of 25 hostages have been returned to Israel, leaving three bodies still unaccounted for.

Hamas says those final remains are believed to be buried deep beneath rubble created during Israel’s two-year offensive on Gaza.

Israeli officials have accused Hamas of stalling, while Hamas insists the destruction has made locating remains challenging.

Hamas also handed over 20 living hostages on October 13.

For each hostage returned, Israel has released the remains of 15 Palestinians, an exchange central to the ceasefire’s first phase.

Overall, the number of bodies of Palestinians received so far is 330, of which only 95 have been formally identified, according to Gaza Health Ministry officials.

Health officials in Gaza have said identifying the remains handed over by Israel is complicated by a lack of DNA testing kits.

The exchanges have gone ahead even as Israel and Hamas have accused each other of violating other terms of the deal.

The next parts of the 20-point plan call for creating an international stabilization force, forming a technocratic Palestinian government and disarming Hamas.

The fragile agreement aims to wind down the war that was triggered by the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel that killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage.

Israel responded with a sweeping military offensive that has killed more than 69,000 Palestinians in Gaza, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.

The ministry, part of the Hamas-run government and staffed by medical professionals, maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by independent experts.