In a sign of fragile progress amid rising tensions, Hamas handed over four more coffins containing the remains of deceased hostages near midnight, marking the eighth batch since last week’s ceasefire deal. The transfer follows Israel’s decision to halve humanitarian aid truck convoys into Gaza—a penalty that cuts the agreed 600 daily deliveries down to just 300, threatening a worsening famine for more than half a million people.
Since the truce, 28 sets of remains have been returned to Israel, yet at least 19 presumed dead and one still unaccounted for remain in Gaza. Israeli forces escorted the coffins across the border for forensic identification, underscoring the grim tally of a conflict sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attacks, now entering its two-year mark.
Meanwhile, re-emergent Hamas fighters have demonstrated renewed control, deploying hundreds of security personnel on Gaza’s streets and carrying out executions of those accused of collaborating with Israel. These moves, analysts say, highlight the deep mutual distrust that could derail broader peace efforts.
U.S. President Trump has threatened to "disarm" Hamas with military strikes if the group does not lay down its weapons. "If they don't disarm, we will disarm them," he warned, one day after praising his "new Middle East" vision in a speech to Israel’s parliament, where he celebrated the exchange of the last 20 living Israeli hostages for nearly 2,000 Palestinian detainees.
Critics caution that this first phase risks becoming a mere prisoner swap without meaningful steps toward a lasting end to Gaza’s two-year war. Li Zixin, assistant research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, notes that Israel’s insistence on maintaining security control clashes with Hamas’s demand for full Israeli withdrawal, fueling delays in talks.
Similarly, Professor Shibley Telhami of the University of Maryland warns the deal could collapse into "a temporary ceasefire and hostage release arrangement" rather than a true peace plan. With details on an international security force and technocratic governance team still vague, both sides face steep hurdles to build trust and prevent a return to conflict.
As Gaza’s humanitarian crisis deepens—with over half a million Palestinians facing famine and the enclave’s infrastructure in ruins—the next moves by Hamas, Israel, and international mediators will be critical. Can this fragile truce evolve into a sustainable roadmap, or will the cycle of displacement and despair continue? Share your thoughts below on how global leaders can rebuild trust and deliver lasting peace in Gaza.
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Hamas hands over more bodies as outlook for Trump's peace plan darkens
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