Hamas Confirms Recovery of All Reachable Hostage Bodies as Ceasefire Hangs in the Balance
Gaza City – Hamas announced Wednesday it has recovered the bodies of all hostages within its reach, a key condition of the ongoing truce with Israel, as Israel threatens to resume fighting in Gaza. The proclamation comes amid stalled negotiations over the return of remains and unresolved demands for Hamas’s disarmament and relinquishment of power.
Thousands of tonnes of aid, including food and medical supplies, remain poised to enter Gaza through the Rafah border crossing – the sole access point to the territory without Israeli control – but deliveries have been repeatedly hampered during the conflict, leading to accusations Israel has used starvation as a weapon of war. A famine was declared in parts of Gaza in august, and humanitarian officials report hundreds of thousands lack access to clean water, food, and essential supplies.
The deal facilitating the hostage recovery also requires Israel to return the bodies of 360 Palestinians. However, concerns are mounting over the condition of the 90 bodies returned thus far, with doctors reporting evidence of torture and execution, including blindfolds, cuffed hands, and bullet wounds to the head.
“Almost all of them had been blindfolded, and had been bound up and they had gunshots between the eyes. Almost all of them had been executed,” stated Dr. Ahmed al-Farra,head of the paediatric department at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis.
The dispute over the return of Palestinian bodies represents a potential flashpoint that could unravel the ceasefire. Israel has insisted the next phase of the truce necessitates Hamas’s disarmament and ceding of control, demands Hamas has rejected. In the meantime, Israel has intensified security operations within Gaza, including public executions and clashes with local clans, demonstrating its continued military presence.
