Israel Threatens to Resume Fighting as Hamas Recovers Hostage Bodies

Tensions escalated in the ongoing conflict as Israel warned of a potential resumption of military operations in Gaza. This announcement followed Hamas’s statement that it had recovered all reachable remains of deceased Israeli hostages. Hamas declared it could not return any additional bodies without specialized recovery equipment necessary for the extraction from the war-torn area.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz issued the threat after Hamas delivered the remains of two more hostages late on Wednesday, increasing the total number of deceased hostages returned to nine. A tenth body was also returned, although Israeli officials confirmed it did not belong to a former hostage.

The situation has further complicated humanitarian efforts, as the Rafah crossing from Gaza into Egypt, a critical point for aid delivery, is now scheduled to open at a later date than initially planned. A spokesperson from COGAT, the Israeli defense ministry’s civil affairs body, indicated that while individual passage through Rafah may be allowed, humanitarian aid would not be permitted through this route. The spokesperson stated, “It should be emphasized that humanitarian aid will not pass through the Rafah crossing. This was never agreed upon at any stage,” while assuring that aid continues to enter Gaza through other crossings.

Israeli far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir criticized the aid delivery process, labeling it a “disgrace” and accusing Hamas of dishonesty regarding the hostages. Aid organizations and the United Nations have urged Israel to open more crossings to facilitate the entry of “thousands of trucks” daily into the region, which has been severely impacted by the ongoing conflict.

Negotiations have been tense, with Israel stating that the next phase of the truce necessitates Hamas disarming and relinquishing power, conditions that the group has thus far rejected. In response, Hamas has intensified its security measures within Gaza, which has included public executions and confrontations with local families.

Former US President Donald Trump has proposed a 20-point plan that encompasses the provision of full aid to Gaza, where parts of the territory have faced famine since August, alongside the return of all hostages, both deceased and alive. Regional officials indicated that the initial phase of the ceasefire agreement, brokered by the US, is expected to be fraught with challenges, particularly regarding the return of hostages’ remains.

Although the number of deceased hostages returned thus far falls short of the 28 anticipated by Israel, senior US advisers expressed belief that Hamas remains committed to locating and returning the remaining bodies. “If Hamas refuses to comply with the agreement, Israel, in co-ordination with the United States, will resume fighting and act to achieve a total defeat of Hamas, to change the reality in Gaza and achieve all the objectives of the war,” a statement from Katz’s office warned.

In a statement shared on social media, Hamas’s military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam brigades, asserted it had fulfilled its obligations by returning all living Israeli prisoners in its custody, as well as the accessible corpses. The group emphasized that retrieving the remaining bodies requires extensive efforts and specialized equipment.

The ceasefire agreement also includes provisions for Israel to return the bodies of 360 Palestinians. Reports from medical professionals indicate that many of the 90 bodies returned by Israeli authorities have exhibited signs of torture and execution, including blindfolds, bound hands, and gunshot wounds. Dr. Ahmed al-Farra, head of the pediatric department at the Nasser hospital in Khan Younis, described the brutal conditions, stating, “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.”

The ongoing dispute regarding the return of bodies poses a significant challenge to maintaining the ceasefire agreement, with various other critical issues still unresolved. Since the ceasefire commenced, Hamas has released 20 surviving hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, including 1,700 individuals detained during the conflict.

To maintain pressure on Hamas, Trump suggested he would consider allowing Israeli forces to resume military operations if the group did not uphold its commitments under the ceasefire agreement. “Israel will return to those streets as soon as I say the word. If Israel could go in and knock the crap out of them, they’d do that,” Trump stated in a recent interview.

While efforts to locate the bodies of deceased hostages face significant obstacles due to the devastation in Gaza, US officials are reportedly exploring initiatives to incentivize individuals who assist in locating these remains. Meanwhile, Turkey, which has played a key mediating role, is in discussions to send experts to aid in body retrieval efforts.

As the situation continues to evolve, the humanitarian impact remains a pressing concern, with calls from various organizations for urgent assistance to the affected populations in Gaza.