In a rare sign of progress, Hamas on Sunday handed over the bodies of three hostages to the Red Cross under the fragile U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Gaza that has largely paused nearly two years of conflict.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office confirmed that the coffins were transferred to Israeli forces, marking the third partial delivery of remains Israel is seeking among the 11 hostages still unaccounted for. While Israel has pressed for faster returns, Hamas says it is working “as quickly as possible under difficult conditions.”
This issue remains one of the key sticking points preventing full activation of the ceasefire agreed on October 10. Both sides have traded blame over violations: earlier Sunday, an Israeli airstrike in northern Gaza killed a man the military identified as an active militant posing an immediate threat.
“There are still Hamas pockets in the areas under our control in Gaza, and we are systematically eliminating them,” Netanyahu said, reaffirming his commitment to “disarm Hamas and demilitarize the Gaza Strip”—a goal he said he shares with U.S. President Donald Trump. He stressed that Israel would notify its U.S. allies of operations “but will not ask their permission,” vowing not to compromise its “supreme security responsibility.”
Meanwhile, Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Hamas-run Gaza government media office, released a list accusing Israel of ceasefire breaches and denied that Hamas fighters had targeted Israeli troops, framing the group’s actions as defensive measures amid challenging circumstances.
As families await identification processes and both sides navigate accusations, the ceasefire’s stability faces its toughest test yet. Observers say that sustained dialogue on complex issues, from hostage returns to security assurances, will be essential to prevent a return to open hostilities.
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Hamas returns bodies of three hostages as Gaza truce faces strain
cgtn.com
