Severe destruction across the Gaza Strip has made it nearly impossible for Hamas to locate and recover the bodies of Israeli hostages buried under rubble. On Saturday, Egypt sent its first convoy of heavy machinery, including bulldozers and excavators, to assist in the search.
Under the U.S.-mediated ceasefire deal, Israel must return 15 Palestinian prisoners’ bodies for each Israeli hostage body recovered. So far, Israel has handed over 195 Palestinian bodies, while Hamas has returned 18 Israeli ones. 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 criticized delays, saying, “Some bodies are hard to reach, but others can be returned now.”
Hamas Expands Search Efforts as Rubble Hampers Recovery
Hamas officials said the widespread devastation has buried bodies deep underground, making recovery extremely difficult. The group’s top negotiator told Egyptian media that specialized equipment is required to retrieve corpses trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
On Sunday, Hamas expanded its search to new areas of the Gaza Strip to locate the remaining 13 bodies, according to Khalil al-Hayya, the group’s chief in Gaza. Meanwhile, Turkish crews continued clearing debris in southern Khan Younis, where an estimated 800 tonnes of rubble remain after heavy Israeli bombing.
Hamas has struggled to recover any bodies for five consecutive days, citing a lack of machinery and access to heavily bombed zones.
Israel Launches New Strike Despite Ceasefire Agreement
Israeli forces struck the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza on Saturday night, injuring at least four civilians, according to Awda Hospital officials. It marked Israel’s second strike on the camp within a week.
The Israeli military said it targeted Islamic Jihad militants allegedly preparing an attack, though the group denied the accusation. Hamas condemned the strike as a “clear breach” of the ceasefire and accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of trying to derail the peace deal.
Netanyahu defended the operation during his weekly Cabinet meeting. “We act to prevent threats before they materialize, as we did yesterday in Gaza,” he said, reaffirming Israel’s stance on preemptive defense.
