Hamas โReturns โBodies of Two More โฃHostages, Rafah Crossing โContingent on Deal โFulfillment
GAZA/JERUSALEM โ- hamas has handed over the bodies of two additional hostages to Israel, the Israeli military โคconfirmed, bringing the total number of bodies returned this weekโข to eleven. The remains are believed to be โof individuals kidnapped โฃduring the October 7, 2023, โHamas attack on Israel. The โคexchange is part of an agreement linked to the โinitial phase of a 2020 US peaceโค plan.
The return of the hostages’โ remains comes as Israel links the potential reopening of the Rafah crossing – a vital point of entry โฃfor Palestinians returning toโ Gaza โfrom Egypt – to Hamas fulfilling its obligations regarding the return โof all deceased hostages and adherence to theโค terms of the existing deal. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office โstated โthe opening of โthe crossing “will be considered based on how Hamas fulfills โคits obligations.”
On Saturday night, Israel identified one of the returned bodies โฃas that of 75-year-old Eliyahu Margalit, โคwho โwas murdered during the attack on Kibbutz Nir Oz. In exchange for the bodies, Israel released the remains of 15 Palestinians held in Israeli custody. Hamas claims to have โhanded over all โbodies it had access to, fulfilling its commitments under the agreement.
Earlier this week, Hamas โคreleased the last 20 living hostages in exchange for the release of approximately โtwo thousand Palestinian prisoners. However, Israel disputes that all returned remains belong to hostages, stating one body did not match anyโค known missing person.
