Massive destruction across the Gaza Strip has made it nearly impossible for Hamas to recover the remaining Israeli hostages’ bodies buried under rubble. On Saturday, an Egyptian convoy carrying excavators and bulldozers entered Gaza to assist with the recovery.
Under a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal, Israel agreed to return 15 Palestinian bodies for each Israeli hostage body recovered. So far, Israel has handed over 195 Palestinian bodies, while Hamas has returned 18 Israeli bodies. Earlier this month, Hamas released all 20 living Israeli hostages.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he is “watching very closely” to ensure all bodies are returned within 48 hours. He noted, “Some bodies are hard to reach, but others can be returned now.”
Hamas Expands Search as Rubble Slows Progress
Hamas officials admitted they have struggled to locate and recover bodies due to extensive damage and buried debris. The group’s top negotiator told Egyptian media that specialized machinery is essential to retrieve remains trapped underground.
On Sunday, Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya announced that search operations had expanded to new areas in Gaza to locate the remaining 13 bodies. The group has been unable to return any remains over the past five days because of widespread destruction.
Last week, a Turkish convoy entered Gaza to help clear debris in Khan Younis, where officials estimate more than 800 tonnes of rubble now block streets following Israeli airstrikes.
Israel Launches Second Strike on Refugee Camp in One Week
Israeli forces struck the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza on Saturday night, injuring at least four people, according to Awda Hospital authorities. It marked the second Israeli attack on the camp in one week.
The Israeli military said it targeted Islamic Jihad militants allegedly planning an assault on Israeli troops. The group denied the accusation, calling the strike unjustified. Hamas condemned the attack as a violation of the ceasefire agreement and accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of undermining the truce.
Netanyahu defended the operation, saying, “We prevent threats before they are carried out, as we did yesterday in Gaza,” during his weekly Cabinet meeting on Sunday.
