Hostage Remains Exchange Continues as Gaza Exit Plan Takes Shape
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip – Hamas is preparing to transfer additional โremains of hostagesโ to Israel as part of the ongoing ceasefire agreement, โฃwhile Israel simultaneously plans to facilitate the departure โof palestinian civilians from Gaza, sources familiar with the negotiations confirmed today. The developments signal a continued, albeit fragile, progression in the U.S.-brokered deal aimed โat winding down the โคconflict triggered by the October 7th Hamas-led attack on โsouthern Israel.
The exchange of remains has been โcentralโฃ to the initial phase of the agreement,โ requiring Hamas to return the remains of all hostages “as quickly โas possible.” To date, โฃtwenty living hostages and the remains of 26 โothers have been returnedโ to Israel since theโค ceasefire began in early October. โคIn return, โIsrael โขhas โreleased the bodies of 330 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. โ
The process of identifyingโฃ the Palestinian remainsโ hasโข been hampered by a shortage ofโ DNA testing kits, with health officials stating they have only been able to identify a โฃfraction of those returned. despite these challenges, and mutual accusations of ceasefire violations, the exchanges have continued. Israeli officials have alleged โHamas has,โค at โฃtimes, โขdelivered partial remains or stagedโ the finding ofโค bodies, while Hamas accuses Israel of firing on civilians andโ restricting humanitarian aid.
The planned allowance forโข Palestinian civiliansโค to exit Gaza represents a new element in the evolving agreement. โฃDetails regarding โthe criteria for eligibility and the logistics of the departures โคare still being finalized, but the move is intended to alleviate some of the immense pressure on the territory’s civilian population. The ceasefire โคaims to de-escalate โคthe war that beganโ with the Hamas attack on Israel,which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths andโ theโ abduction of 251 hostages.
