Israel has received two bodies from Gaza, according to Hamas, who claim they are hostages. The remains were transferred via the Red Cross to Israeli forces and will be formally identified. This comes as a delay in the return of all deceased hostages, with only 10 out of 28 initially returned prior to Saturday. The delay has sparked outrage in Israel, as the ceasefire deal stipulated the release of all hostages, living and dead. Hamas struggles to locate the remaining bodies under the rubble, while the Israeli Prime Minister's office has ordered the Rafah border crossing to remain closed until the final hostage remains are returned and the ceasefire agreement is implemented. The crossing is vital for Palestinians seeking medical assistance and for the return of thousands of others. The IDF emphasizes the need for Hamas to uphold the agreement and return all hostages. The US, however, downplays the delay as a breach of the ceasefire deal, which was celebrated by President Trump during his visit to Israel and Egypt. A leaked version of the deal suggests that not all bodies would be immediately accessible. Hamas accuses Israel of making the task more difficult due to air strikes reducing buildings to rubble and restrictions on heavy machinery. The Gaza Strip is now a wasteland, with people searching through the rubble for bodies and homes. As part of the US-brokered ceasefire, Hamas returned all 20 living hostages to Israel, and the tenth deceased hostage, Eliyahu Margalit, was confirmed by the IDF. Additionally, Israel released 250 Palestinian prisoners and 1,718 detainees from Gaza. The bodies of 15 Palestinians were handed over to Gaza officials, bringing the total to 135. A tragic incident involving an Israeli tank shell killed 11 members of a Palestinian family, the deadliest single incident since the ceasefire began. The Israeli military responded to the 7 October 2023 attack, where Hamas-led gunmen killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. The Hamas-run health ministry reports at least 68,000 deaths in Gaza since the attack, while a UN commission of inquiry accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, a claim Israel rejected.
