Hamas has announced that it has returned the remains of all deceased Israeli hostages within its reach, following the ongoing exchange agreements with Israel.
The declaration came as the Israeli military confirmed the transfer of two additional bodies to the Red Cross in Gaza.
Since the ceasefire agreement brokered earlier this week, Hamas has released 20 surviving hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. Prior to Wednesday, seven of the 28 known deceased hostages’ remains had been returned, with an eighth later identified as not being a former hostage.
The armed wing of Hamas, the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, said it had handed over all bodies accessible to them and emphasized that specialized recovery equipment would be needed to retrieve the remaining remains from Gaza’s ruins. “The Resistance has fulfilled its commitment to the agreement by handing over all living Israeli prisoners in its custody, as well as the corpses it could access,” the Brigades said in a statement.
The Israeli military confirmed that two coffins containing deceased hostages had been transferred to the Red Cross and were being transported to Israeli authorities in Gaza. Officials emphasized that Hamas is obligated to take all necessary measures to return the remaining hostages’ remains.
Within Israel, pressure is mounting on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to tie humanitarian aid to Gaza with the return of all remaining bodies. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir warned that aid could be cut if Hamas fails to hand over the remains of soldiers still in their custody.
The ongoing exchanges highlight the delicate and tense process of repatriating hostages and remains amidst the broader conflict in Gaza, as both sides navigate international scrutiny and domestic expectations.