Red Cross Transfers Another Hostage's Body from Gaza to Israel
The Red Cross has handed over the body of another hostage from Gaza to the Israeli military, authorities said early on Saturday. The transfer occurred amid disagreements over delays in returning remains under the ceasefire agreement between Hamas and Israel.
Israeli forces received the coffin from the Red Cross inside Gaza, and it was transferred to the National Center for Forensic Medicine under Israel’s health ministry. Officials stated that the deceased’s family would be informed after formal identification.
Hamas’s armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, described the remains as those of an "occupation prisoner," implying the individual was Israeli, rather than from another nationality also held in Gaza.
This was the 10th deceased hostage returned out of 28 believed to be in Gaza. Hamas officials said technical issues, including the need for heavy equipment to retrieve bodies buried under rubble, had slowed the process.
On Friday, bulldozers were used as Hamas searched for remains in Hamad City, a residential complex in Khan Younis heavily bombarded by Israeli forces during the conflict. Some buildings had collapsed, and Israeli troops conducted a lengthy raid there in March 2024.
A Turkish team of specialists was prepared to assist in retrieving remains but had not yet received permission from Israel to enter Gaza. "It remains unclear when Israel will allow access," a Turkish official said, adding that the team’s task included locating both Palestinian and hostage remains. A Hamas source indicated the delegation might enter by Sunday.
Israel has accused Hamas of knowing the location of the hostages' bodies and warned time is running out. Hamas claims it remains committed to the ceasefire and returning all remaining remains.
Meanwhile, Israel has returned 90 Palestinian bodies to Gaza for burial and is expected to repatriate more, though officials have not specified the number in its custody or scheduled for return.
The dispute over hostage remains has raised concerns about the ceasefire, part of a broader international effort to end the conflict.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan expressed unease over Israel's statements regarding the remains. "Will Israel use Hamas’s inability to locate bodies as a reason to break the ceasefire? This is a concern internationally," he said.
Earlier on Friday, Hamas urged mediators to advance the next phase of the ceasefire, including border reopening, aid entry, reconstruction efforts, governance plans, and Israeli withdrawal.
Under the internationally backed agreement, fighting in Gaza has mostly ceased.
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