GAZA/JERUSALEM – The human tragedy in Gaza continues to unfold despite a ceasefire, as the Palestinian resistance group Hamas has handed over the bodies of two more hostages to Israeli authorities under the supervision of the Red Cross.
According to Al Jazeera, the remains will be transported to Israel’s national forensic institute for identification. Following this latest transfer, 11 more bodies are still awaiting handover from Hamas.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office confirmed receipt of the remains and reiterated its stance that the process “will not stop until the last hostage returns.” Israel has accused Hamas of deliberately delaying the return of the bodies.
In response, Hamas stated that it requires heavy machinery to be allowed into Gaza to retrieve bodies buried under the rubble in areas devastated by Israeli bombing. The group claims that recovery efforts have become difficult in several locations.
This development comes nearly two years after the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas, which killed 1,139 Israelis and resulted in approximately 200 people being taken hostage.
Meanwhile, the situation in Gaza remains dire. Despite the ceasefire, Israeli airstrikes on October 29 killed over 100 Palestinians, mostly women and children. According to the latest figures, 68,527 Palestinians have been killed and 170,395 injured since October 7, 2023.
