Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Amid ongoing negotiations in Cairo and a delicate ceasefire holding between Israel and Hamas, tensions have escalated over the issue of returning the remains of Israeli hostages killed during their captivity in Gaza. The Palestinian movement Hamas has rejected Israeli accusations that it is deliberately stalling the handover of bodies, insisting instead that the task is being obstructed by the scale of destruction in the Gaza Strip and the loss of key personnel.
According to Egyptian diplomatic sources familiar with the talks, Hamas informed mediators that it is making “maximum efforts” to locate and retrieve the bodies. The group reportedly cited the widespread devastation across the enclave and the deaths of many of its field operatives some of whom were responsible for guarding or holding the hostages as key reasons for the delay.
The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, explained that Hamas initially underestimated the importance of this issue for Israel. Only later, they said, did the group realize that the return of the bodies had become a pivotal condition for the continuation of the ceasefire agreement.
A Case of Mistaken Identity and Mounting Pressure
The dispute was further inflamed by an earlier incident in February, when Israel, under the impression it had received the remains of Shiri Bibas one of the Israeli hostages discovered that the body was actually that of a Palestinian woman from Gaza. The misidentification triggered outrage in Israel and renewed calls for accountability. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded at the time by declaring that his government was committed to retrieving all hostages, “alive or dead.”
As of Tuesday evening, Israel had received the remains of only eight out of an estimated 28 hostages believed to have died in captivity. The return of the fourth body, however, has been met with skepticism: Israeli forensic authorities announced that the remains did not belong to any of the known Israeli hostages. Israeli Channel 12 reported that the body was identified as belonging to a Palestinian resident of Gaza.
The Israeli military has urged Hamas to intensify efforts to locate and return all of the bodies, while media outlets have described growing public frustration over the slow progress.
Hamas Blames the War’s Chaos
In a statement, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said the group was committed to the ceasefire terms, including the return of the remains. However, he accused Israel of violating the agreement by continuing military actions in areas like Shuja’iyya and Rafah. Qassem called on mediators to compel Israel to respect its side of the deal.
Egyptian and Palestinian sources confirmed that retrieving the bodies is a highly complex operation. They noted that some remains are buried beneath collapsed buildings and rubble, and in some cases, even the locations of burial sites are unknown due to the chaos of war and the deaths of key Hamas personnel.
Efforts to recover the remains are being assisted by technical teams and heavy equipment from Egypt and Qatar, who are helping to clear debris and search for missing individuals.
Christian Cardon, spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross, said the process could take a long time, citing the massive scale of destruction in Gaza. “There is a possibility that not all bodies will be found,” he warned.
Rafah Crossing: Reopening Delayed Amid Security Concerns
On a related front, plans to reopen the Rafah crossing the main gateway between Gaza and Egypt were delayed again on Wednesday. Although Israeli state media had reported that the crossing would reopen to allow humanitarian aid and limited civilian movement, the decision was reportedly postponed due to unresolved security concerns.
Sources reported from Jerusalem that the Israeli security establishment cited “unstable field conditions” as the reason for the continued closure, and provided no clear timeline for reopening.
A senior Israeli security official told Channel 12 that preparations for reopening the crossing were underway but still incomplete. The decision to cancel previously announced sanctions against Hamas including limiting aid convoys came after the group returned four additional bodies overnight. According to Israeli media, that gesture was viewed as a step toward honoring the ceasefire terms.
Humanitarian organizations and the United Nations have called for the immediate reopening of the crossing, especially as Gaza faces what the UN has declared a famine-level humanitarian crisis following a two-year conflict.
Israeli media reported that up to 600 aid trucks are expected to enter the Strip once the crossing resumes operations, but no timeline has been confirmed.
Trump Reenters the Spotlight, Signals Hardline Stance
Amid ongoing regional turbulence, former U.S. President Donald Trump inserted himself back into the conversation, suggesting in recent remarks that he would use “forceful measures” to ensure Hamas is disarmed if he returns to office. His comments, though vague, echoed earlier statements positioning himself as a potential global peacemaker claims that remain hotly debated among foreign policy experts.
Israeli Raids and Detentions Across the West Bank
Meanwhile, on the ground in the West Bank, the Israeli military launched widespread raids overnight targeting homes of Palestinians recently released under the prisoner swap deal. Major operations were reported in Ramallah, Bethlehem, the Dheisheh refugee camp, and towns such as Kafr Aqab and Qabatiya near Jenin.
In Ramallah’s Qaddura refugee camp, troops raided the homes of recently freed detainees Imad and Jihad Al-Roum, Mohammad Al-Saeedi, Raed Abu Al-Zaher, and Ramzi Obaid. Families were reportedly warned against organizing welcome gatherings, with Israeli forces emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy toward public celebrations of released prisoners.
These military actions coincided with the fragile state of the ceasefire and ongoing efforts in Cairo to broker a longer-term agreement. Negotiators are also reportedly discussing broader political arrangements for Gaza’s future, including the creation of a new Palestinian police force and the disarmament of militant groups a process Qatar’s envoy described as “highly complex.”
Outlook Remains Uncertain
As of now, both sides accuse the other of breaching the terms of the agreement. Hamas insists it is acting in good faith despite immense logistical challenges, while Israel continues to press for faster and more verifiable compliance, particularly on the recovery of remains.
With negotiations ongoing and the humanitarian situation in Gaza worsening, the fate of the truce and broader hopes for stability hang in the balance.
