Hamas has committed to returning the body of an Israeli hostage as part of the current ceasefire agreement, despite ongoing Israeli strikes on Gaza. The pledge comes as Palestinian casualties continue to rise, with concerns about breaches of the ceasefire jeopardizing the fragile peace.
The body was discovered earlier this week in Nuseirat, a refugee camp in central Gaza, by Palestinian Islamic Jihad. It will be transferred to the International Committee of the Red Cross on Tuesday afternoon, as confirmed by Hamas on Telegram.
Since the US-brokered ceasefire began on October 10, Palestinian militants have released 25 bodies of hostages, with three still believed to be located in Gaza. The slow process of recovering and returning these bodies poses a threat to the sustainability of the ceasefire.
Hamas has cited difficulties in accessing all the remains due to them being buried under debris from Israel’s past military actions in the region. The situation is compounded by the concern that thousands of Palestinian remains may still be buried under the wreckage, adding to the complexity of the recovery efforts.
Israel has criticized the perceived delay by militants in returning the remains and has warned of potential military action or withholding humanitarian aid if all bodies are not repatriated. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office labeled the delay as a violation of the ceasefire agreement.
Since the ceasefire was implemented, Israel has repatriated the bodies of 330 Palestinians to Gaza. However, Palestinian officials face challenges in identifying the bodies due to a lack of access to DNA kits. Only 95 bodies have been positively identified out of the total returned, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
In contrast, Israel has not disclosed details regarding the identities of the bodies repatriated. Meanwhile, Gaza residents, including children and families, are grappling with the aftermath of heavy rains that have led to further displacements and increased exposure to adverse weather conditions.
The conflict originated from an attack led by Hamas on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in significant casualties and hostages. While most hostages or their remains have been returned through various agreements, the toll of injuries and fatalities in Gaza has continued to rise, with new strikes and ongoing recovery efforts contributing to the escalating numbers.
According to Gaza’s Health Ministry, in addition to the deceased, over 170,863 individuals have been injured during Israel’s retaliatory offensive. The ministry reports a total of 345 deaths and the recovery of 588 bodies since the ceasefire’s inception, without distinguishing between civilians and combatants.