A positive identification of slain hostages held by Hamas for an extended period inside the Gaza Strip may not be “feasible,” Israel’s senior forensic expert said Wednesday.

The comments from Dr. Chen Kugel, director of the L. Greenberg Institute of Forensic Medicine at Abu Kabir, come ahead of the expected release of the bodies of four victims of the Hamas October 7, 2023 surprise terror attack on Israel, as part of Israel’s ceasefire deal with the Palestinian militant group.

Hamas kidnapped at least 240 Israelis and foreign nationals, along with killing some 1,200 others, during their Oct. 7, 2023 attacks. The last remaining hostages, estimated to number in the dozens, have been held for more than 500 days.

Dr. Kugel will lead the forensic analysis of the slain hostages. The scientists on his team will compare the recovered bodies with health records from when they were alive.

“We can use X-rays, weight data comparisons, dental records, and DNA analysis,” he told The Jerusalem Post. “We will do everything possible, but for the slain hostages that have been held for an extended period, identification is not always feasible.”

The identification process will begin as soon as the bodies reach the Israeli border. Dr. Kugel’s team will include pathologists, DNA analysts, anthropologists and other forensic specialists.

The identification process is expected to take between several hours and two days, Israeli health officials told The Jerusalem Post.

“Tomorrow’s upcoming phase is complex and sensitive,” said Dr. Hagar Mizrahi, head of the medical division at Israel’s health ministry. “We will make every effort to ensure that the slain hostages are brought to burial as quickly as possible.”

Jewish law dictates that a burial should take place as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours of death.

• Mike Glenn can be reached at mglenn@washingtontimes.com.