The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) arrested 15 Palestinians in the northeastern city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip between 9:06 AM and 10:06 AM UTC on October 15th, 2025, according to the Elmiedin Channel. This action occurred as the IDF confirmed that one of the four bodies handed over by Hamas to Israel overnight was not an Israeli hostage, with Israeli sources suggesting it was a Gazan mistaken for a hostage. Hamas is expected to return more bodies today. Israeli sources believe Hamas mistakenly handed over the body of a Gazan individual, described by one source as a terrorist wearing an IDF uniform who was apparently shot during the war. Simultaneously, Turkey has dispatched dozens of personnel to Gaza to aid in the search and identification of bodies. The IDF's confirmation that the fourth body returned was not an Israeli hostage follows earlier reports this morning of the identification and return of three Israeli hostage bodies: Tamir Nimrodi, Uriel Baruch Zal, and Eitan Levi Zal. Indications from an Israeli factor cited by N12 had suggested Hamas might have erred in identifying bodies, potentially in hopes of securing further prisoner releases. The IDF continues its efforts to locate and return all abductees. Separately, the IDF announced the reopening of Zikim Beach near the northern Gaza Strip border to the public starting October 16th, 2025. This decision, approved by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, removes a closed military zone imposed since the October 7, 2023, attacks. Zikim Beach was a site where 38 Hamas terrorists arrived via speedboats on October 7, 2023, leading to the murder of 17 civilians and one soldier.
