Hamas to Return Body of Israeli Hostage in Fragile Truce
The militant group Hamas has confirmed it will return the body of an Israeli hostage on Tuesday, as part of a delicate ceasefire agreement that began last month. This development comes amid growing tensions between both sides, with Israel accusing Hamas of deliberately delaying the process while the militant group blames practical difficulties in recovering remains.
Recovery and Handover Process
According to statements made on Telegram, Hamas plans to hand over the body to the International Committee of the Red Cross on Tuesday afternoon. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad reported discovering the remains earlier this week in Nuseirat, a refugee camp located in central Gaza.
Since the US-brokered ceasefire commenced on October 10, Palestinian militants have released the bodies of 25 hostages. However, three individuals are still believed to be held within Gaza territory. The slow pace of these returns has threatened to undermine the truce, with Hamas claiming that ongoing recovery efforts are hampered by bodies buried under rubble from Israel's two-year military offensive in the region.
Mounting Tensions and Accusations
Israel has strongly criticised the delays, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office issuing a statement on Tuesday describing the situation as a violation of the ceasefire agreement. Israeli authorities have threatened to resume military operations or withhold humanitarian aid if all remains are not promptly returned.
In a reciprocal arrangement, Israel has released the bodies of 330 Palestinians back to Gaza since the ceasefire took effect. Palestinian officials face significant challenges in identifying these remains due to limited access to DNA testing equipment. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, which operates under the Hamas-run government, only 95 bodies have been positively identified so far.
The Health Ministry, staffed by medical professionals, maintains detailed records that independent experts generally consider reliable. Israel has not provided specific details regarding the identities of the returned Palestinian bodies.
Humanitarian Crisis Worsens
Meanwhile, Gaza's civilian population continues to face severe humanitarian challenges. Recent heavy rains have left thousands of residents displaced and exposed to harsh weather conditions, highlighting the dire circumstances affecting millions in the territory.
The conflict originated with the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in approximately 1,200 casualties and saw over 250 individuals taken hostage. Nearly all hostages or their remains have since been returned through various ceasefire agreements and other diplomatic arrangements.
Gaza's Health Ministry reports that 69,775 Palestinians have been killed and 170,863 injured during Israel's retaliatory offensive. These figures have continued to rise even during the ceasefire period, both from new Israeli strikes and from the ongoing recovery and identification of individuals killed earlier in the conflict.
Since the ceasefire began, the ministry has documented 345 additional fatalities and the recovery of 588 bodies in total. While the statistics do not differentiate between combatants and civilians, health officials have indicated that women and children constitute the majority of those killed.
