ALWAGHT- According to a senior Hamas official, Israel is impeding attempts to find and repatriate captive bodies in Gaza, attributing the obstruction to widespread devastation and Israel’s recent closure of the Rafah crossing along with reduced humanitarian assistance.
A senior Hamas official accused Israel of obstructing efforts to recover the bodies of captives in Gaza, saying many captives and their guards were killed during Israeli airstrikes, which destroyed communication with recovery units. He blamed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his cabinet, and the Israeli military for the deaths and for the loss of bodies believed to be buried under rubble alongside thousands of civilians.
The official made the remarks following Israel’s closure of the Rafah crossing and reduction of humanitarian aid deliveries — actions Hamas says breach the recent ceasefire agreement. Despite the destruction and loss of contact with guards, he said Hamas remains committed to locating and returning all captive remains, cooperating with international mediators even amid complications and changes to prisoner lists.
Hamas claims it has already fulfilled its obligations by releasing all 20 remaining living captives and four coffins of deceased Israelis, though the return of 28 others declared dead remains uncertain. Israel, however, responded by keeping the Rafah crossing closed and halving aid deliveries, citing delays in the return of bodies as justification. The Israeli military also killed at least nine Palestinians, further straining the fragile ceasefire.
The Hamas official condemned Israel’s decision as a severe violation of the truce, calling on mediators to intervene urgently. Meanwhile, Israel’s COGAT agency confirmed that the number of aid trucks allowed into Gaza would be cut to 300 per day and that fuel and gas supplies would largely be halted. It accused Hamas of breaching the agreement regarding the release of bodies, prompting new sanctions. The situation has reignited fears that Israel’s ongoing restrictions and attacks could collapse the ceasefire and deepen Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.
