Hamas has affirmed its commitment to returning the body of an Israeli hostage in compliance with the delicate ceasefire that persists despite ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Gaza. The development follows a rise in Palestinian casualties and allegations of ceasefire violations that jeopardize the relatively diminished levels of violence.
Earlier this week, Palestinian Islamic Jihad announced the discovery of the body in Nuseirat, a refugee camp in central Gaza. The body is set to be transferred to the International Committee of the Red Cross by Tuesday afternoon, as communicated by Hamas via Telegram.
Since the commencement of the US-mediated ceasefire on October 10, Palestinian militants have released the remains of 25 hostages, with three believed to remain in Gaza. However, the slow progress of this process poses a threat to the ceasefire’s stability.
Hamas has cited challenges in accessing all the remains due to them being buried under debris from Israel’s two-year offensive in the region. The toll of over 70,000 casualties from Israel’s campaign against Hamas has raised concerns that an additional 11,000 Palestinian bodies may still be entombed in the wreckage.
Israel has criticized the militants for delays in returning the remains and has warned of a potential resumption of military actions or the withholding of humanitarian aid if all bodies are not repatriated promptly. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office released a statement declaring the delays as a violation of the ceasefire.
Since the ceasefire came into effect, Israel has repatriated the bodies of 330 Palestinians to Gaza. However, Palestinian authorities have encountered difficulties in identifying the bodies due to the unavailability of DNA kits.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, managed by the Hamas administration and comprising medical professionals, only 95 bodies have been positively identified. These records are generally deemed reliable by independent experts.
While Israel has not disclosed the identities of the repatriated bodies, Gaza residents are grappling with the aftermath of heavy rains that have displaced thousands once again, exposing them to harsh conditions.
The conflict erupted with a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in approximately 1,200 fatalities and over 250 hostages. The majority of hostages or their remains have been returned through ceasefires or other agreements.
Gaza’s Health Ministry reports that besides the deceased, a further 170,863 individuals have sustained injuries during Israel’s retaliatory campaign. The death toll has continued to rise during the ceasefire, attributed to new Israeli strikes and the recovery and identification of bodies from earlier stages of the conflict.
The ministry documented 345 fatalities and a total of 588 bodies retrieved since the ceasefire’s initiation, without distinguishing between civilians and combatants.