Hamas has committed to returning the body of an Israeli hostage within the framework of the delicate ceasefire that remains intact despite ongoing Israeli airstrikes on Gaza. This development comes amidst rising Palestinian casualties and mutual accusations of ceasefire violations that pose a threat to the relatively subdued levels of violence.
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad recently declared the discovery of the body in Nuseirat, a refugee camp in central Gaza. According to Hamas, the body will be transferred to the International Committee of the Red Cross on Tuesday afternoon, as announced on Telegram.
Since the commencement of the US-brokered ceasefire on October 10, Palestinian militants have handed over the bodies of 25 hostages, with three individuals suspected to still be in Gaza. The slow pace of this process jeopardizes the stability of the truce.
Hamas claims difficulties in accessing all the remains due to them being buried under rubble resulting from Israel’s two-year offensive in the Palestinian territory. In addition to the more than 70,000 fatalities from Israel’s actions against Hamas, concerns arise over an estimated 11,000 Palestinian bodies buried under the rubble.
Israel has criticized the militants for delays and has threatened to resume military operations or withhold humanitarian assistance unless all remains are returned. The office of Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Tuesday that any delays constitute violations of the ceasefire agreement.
Since the ceasefire took effect, Israel has repatriated the bodies of 330 Palestinians to Gaza. Palestinian authorities face challenges in identifying the bodies due to a lack of access to DNA kits.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, which operates under the Hamas administration and comprises medical professionals known for maintaining accurate records, only 95 bodies have been positively identified.
While Israel has not disclosed the identities of the bodies returned, in Gaza, families and children are dealing with the aftermath of heavy rains that have displaced thousands once more, leaving them vulnerable to the elements.
The conflict began with a Hamas-led assault on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, resulting in around 1,200 casualties and over 250 hostages. Nearly all hostages or their remains have been repatriated through ceasefires or other agreements.
As per Gaza’s Health Ministry, in addition to the deceased, over 170,863 individuals have sustained injuries in Israel’s retaliatory campaign. The casualty toll has risen during the ceasefire due to new Israeli attacks and the recovery and identification of bodies from earlier stages of the conflict.
The ministry reports a total of 345 fatalities and the recovery of 588 bodies since the commencement of the ceasefire. It does not differentiate between civilians and combatants among those deceased.