Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a memorial for victims of the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, expressing determination to secure the return of deceased hostages still in Gaza. His remarks came shortly after Hamas returned the bodies of two hostages; however, the remaining 19 hostages have not yet been retrieved.
The situation has caused unrest in Israel, with concerns that Hamas has not complied fully with a recent ceasefire agreement, despite U.S. officials downplaying the perceived breach. In response to the delays, Israel has threatened to restrict humanitarian aid to Gaza.
On Thursday, the Israeli government confirmed the identification of two bodies returned by Hamas, which were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross. This brings the total number of deceased hostages returned since Monday to nine out of 28. All living hostages were released earlier in exchange for a significant number of Palestinian prisoners.
Hamas’s military wing stated its commitment to search for the remaining bodies, though they indicated that specialized efforts and equipment would be necessary. During the memorial, Netanyahu reiterated Israel’s readiness to engage in military action if targeted again, asserting that the nation’s fight against terrorism would continue with “full force.”
Since the October 7 attack, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 individuals in southern Israel and took 251 others hostage, ongoing Israeli military actions in Gaza have reportedly caused significant casualties. The territory’s health ministry claims that over 67,000 people have been killed due to these assaults.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum in Israel urged the government to halt the ceasefire implementation until all bodies are returned. Meanwhile, U.S. officials indicated they believe Hamas has acted in good faith and noted the challenges in retrieving the remains due to the level of destruction in Gaza. Hamas has reported civilian casualties from Israeli strikes since the ceasefire began.
As negotiations continue, the Rafah crossing with Egypt remains closed, with future openings contingent upon security preparations by Israel and Egypt. Aid will be sent into Gaza through designated crossings subject to security inspections rather than through Rafah.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gkm0243wzo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss