CAIRO: Hamas has transferred the body of an Israeli hostage to the Red Cross, as international and domestic pressure mounts on the group to fulfil its commitment to return all deceased captives under the Gaza ceasefire agreement.
Israeli authorities confirmed receiving a coffin believed to contain the remains of the sixteenth hostage out of 28 who were killed after being taken during Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attacks. The body was transported from Gaza to Israel for identification at the national forensic institute before being returned to the hostage’s family following a military ceremony.
“The families of all hostages have been informed, and our hearts are with them in this painful moment. Efforts to bring every hostage home will continue until the last one returns,” the Israeli military said in a statement.
A Hamas source were of the view that the body was handed over to the Red Cross earlier in the day.
The development comes amid growing frustration among Israeli officials and the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, who have accused Hamas of delaying the transfer of the remaining bodies. The group has so far released all 20 living captives but only a portion of the deceased ones.
“Hamas knows the location of each of the deceased hostages. Two weeks have passed since the deadline in the agreement, yet 13 bodies are still unreturned,” the forum said, urging Israel, the U.S., and mediators to withhold progress to the next phase of the truce until Hamas complies fully.
Responding to the criticism, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem denied the accusations, saying the ongoing destruction from Israel’s bombardment has made it difficult to locate some bodies.
He reaffirmed Hamas’s commitment to completing the first phase of the ceasefire agreement, emphasizing that the group wants to avoid giving Israel “any excuse” to resume hostilities. “We are working to return the bodies of the Israeli captives as soon as possible,” Qassem said.
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