The Israeli government has permitted a member of Hamas to enter a zone in Gaza controlled by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to assist Red Cross and Egyptian teams in locating the remains of 13 deceased hostages. Government spokeswoman Shosh Bedrosian stated that the Red Cross, an Egyptian technical team, and the Hamas representative were allowed into the area under strict IDF supervision. It was also noted that the Egyptians would bring additional equipment to aid in the search, including tractor-type vehicles.
Israel has accused Hamas of breaching a ceasefire agreement that has been in place for two weeks, as the group has only returned 15 of the 28 hostages’ bodies it is holding. Hamas has expressed its commitment to the deal, which was facilitated by the U.S., Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey, citing the need for assistance in recovering remains buried under rubble following two years of conflict.
On October 10, shortly after the ceasefire commenced, all 20 living Israeli hostages were released in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners. In return for the remains of the 13 Israeli hostages and two foreign hostages, Israel has also handed over the bodies of 195 Palestinians.
Among the deceased hostages, eleven are Israeli, one is Tanzanian, and one is Thai. Bedrosian asserted that Hamas is aware of their locations and called for their return. Concurrently, a group representing families of Israeli hostages has urged the Israeli government and the U.S. administration to delay advancing the second phase of a peace plan until Hamas fulfills its commitments regarding the remains of all hostages.
Hamas chief negotiator Khalil al-Hayya noted that challenges have arisen due to changes in Gaza’s terrain made by Israeli forces, complicating efforts to locate the bodies. Most of the dead hostages were among those abducted during a Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of roughly 1,200 individuals. In retaliation, Israel initiated a military campaign in Gaza, leading to significant casualties, with estimates indicating over 68,500 deaths in the territory according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cly9z0mvzyko?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss