The remains of 11 Israeli soldiers listed as missing in action since the Yom Kippur War were turned over to Israel by Egypt at a somber ceremony in EI Arish this morning. The Egyptians provided on honor guard commanded by a Brig. Gen. The flag-draped coffins were received by an Israeli burial unit headed by the chief chaplain in the presence of Gen. Dan Shomron, commander of the southern region.
The remains were placed in army trucks to be taken to Tel Hashomer Hospital near. Tel Aviv where pathologists will attempt to identify the dead prior to military funerals which will take place at a later date. Identification is expected to be difficult inasmuch as the Egyptians provided no details as to the location of the remains. It was reported earlier that they were found in the course of development work along the Suez Canal.
With today’s transfer, Israel’s missing-in-action list is down to 12-soldiers. Military authorities are preparing maps to try to pinpoint where the missing soldiers were supposed to have been during the battle.
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