As Israel presses for the remains of hostages killed over the past two years, Hamas says the bodies cannot be recovered without special equipment. The remains of the 19 hostages are still missing, with Hamas saying it will need special equipment to retrieve the rest from the rubble of Gaza.
But Israel denies this, accusing the militant group of not doing enough to find the bodies.
The return of all 28 dead hostages is a condition of a US-backed ceasefire agreement that came into effect earlier this week. The row is among a series of fissures becoming apparent as the deal moves into a second phase with little detail, including who will fund reconstruction or provide troops to secure Gaza.
A day earlier, Hamas’ military wing claimed it had released all the bodies it could – 9 of the 28 said to be in custody – and said “great efforts and special equipment” were needed to retrieve the rest.
Israel’s bombing campaign left large parts of the enclave in ruins.
Israel says “if Hamas is willing to return…”
A senior Israeli official said all the bodies could be returned if Hamas was willing. Another official said Hamas knows where most of the bodies are and mediators must pressure it to live up to its commitments.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Hamas’ comments were unacceptable. “The government and all elements of Israel’s national security system are determined, dedicated and working tirelessly to bring back all our fallen hostages for a proper burial in their homeland,” his office said in a statement.
Also read | The Israeli military says one of the bodies handed over by Hamas does not belong to the hostages
“The fight is not over, but one thing is clear – whoever lays a hand on us knows they will pay a very high price,” he said.
Earlier, Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Hamas that if it failed to return the remains, “hostilities could be renewed.”
“If Hamas refuses to abide by the agreement, Israel, in coordination with the US, will return to the fight and act to achieve the complete defeat of Hamas,” Katz said in a statement.
Earlier, Donald Trump also said “the job is not done” as he urged Hamas to release the remaining bodies of the deceased hostages.
In a post on Truth Social, Donald Trump said, “ALL TWENTY-YEAR-OLDS ARE BACK AND FEELING AS WELL AS CAN BE EXPECTED. A big burden has been removed, but the job is NOT DONE. THE DEAD HAVE NOT BEEN BACK AS PROMISED! Phase Two begins NOW!!!”
Trump also later said he would consider allowing Benjamin Netanyahu to resume military action in Gaza if Hamas does not live up to its end of the cease-fire agreement. “Israel will be back in those streets as soon as I say the word. If Israel could go in and beat the crap out of them, they would,” Trump told CNN.
He added, “I had to hold them back,” referring to the Israel Defense Forces and the Netanyahu administration. “I had it with Bibi.
