DaysofPal – Hamas says it has handed over the remains of another captive recovered from the devastated Gaza Strip, as the group called on mediators and the international community to pressure Israel to reopen border crossings and allow vital humanitarian aid into the enclave.
The armed wing of Hamas, the Qassam Brigades, announced in a statement on Friday that its fighters delivered the remains at 11pm local time (20:00 GMT), without specifying the exact location where the body was found. The group said the remains were those of an “occupation prisoner,” indicating the deceased was an Israeli national.
Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office confirmed shortly afterward that the body had been transferred to the Red Cross and received by Israel. The remains will undergo forensic identification at the National Center for Forensic Medicine before the family is officially informed.
In a brief statement, the Israeli military urged the public “to act with sensitivity and wait for official identification,” adding that Hamas “is required to uphold the agreement and take the necessary steps to return all the deceased captives.”
Hamas Says Israeli Restrictions Delay Recovery Efforts
Hamas reiterated its commitment to the US-mediated ceasefire deal, which includes the recovery and return of captives’ remains still trapped under Gaza’s ruins. The group said it had already returned all the bodies it could locate but warned that dozens more may still be buried beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings and tunnels.
“There are still 18 bodies held inside Gaza,” reported Al Jazeera’s Hamda Salhut from Amman. “Hamas says it needs assistance in the form of heavy machinery and technical teams to retrieve them.”
In a statement, Hamas blamed Israel for obstructing recovery efforts, saying it had refused to allow new bulldozers and excavation equipment into Gaza. The group said most heavy machinery in the territory had been destroyed during Israel’s military campaign is severely hampering attempts to clear the vast quantities of rubble across bombarded cities such as Khan Younis and Gaza City.
On Friday, two bulldozers could be seen digging through earth and debris in Hamad City, a residential complex in Khan Younis where Hamas said it was searching for captives’ remains. The area was repeatedly bombarded during the war and later stormed by Israeli forces in a weeklong raid in March 2024.
Al Jazeera’s Nour Odeh reported that Israel is “not cooperating with countries that have offered assistance.” She cited Türkiye’s offer to send 81 recovery experts and equipment, which Israel has not permitted to enter Gaza.
Mounting Pressure and Continued Destruction
Former Israeli ambassador Alon Liel said the return of captives’ bodies has stirred deep emotions in Israel, increasing political pressure on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. “Many Israelis believe Hamas is cheating on the ceasefire agreement by not returning all the bodies,” Liel said. “There is a lot of anger.”
US President Donald Trump has warned Hamas that he would authorize Israel to resume its military campaign if the group does not fulfill the ceasefire terms and return all bodies. According to Israeli authorities, 28 deceased captives remain unaccounted for. Hamas says it has so far returned the remains of nine captives, along with a tenth body that Israel claims did not belong to one of the hostages.
The latest handover comes as Gaza’s civil defense service reports that more than 10,000 Palestinians remain buried under the rubble, with only 280 bodies recovered so far.
Hamas has urged mediators to ensure that aid flows into Gaza are dramatically increased, the Rafah crossing with Egypt is reopened, and reconstruction efforts are launched without delay. Despite the ceasefire deal agreed to last week, Israel has yet to allow large-scale entry of humanitarian aid and continues operations across much of the Gaza Strip.
“The ceasefire means nothing if our people are still starving and trapped under ruins,” a Hamas spokesperson said. “We have done our part; now the world must do theirs.”
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