A Mix-Up in the Middle of a Truce
In the middle of a shaky peace deal, things got confusing. The Israeli military said one body given by Hamas was not a hostage's. This has made the already tense situation even more complicated.
Bodies Exchanged, But Uncertainties Remain
- Gaza's Health Ministry reported receiving 45 more bodies from Israel, bringing the total to 90.
It is unclear whether these individuals died in Israeli custody or were taken from Gaza.
- Hamas handed over four hostage bodies on Tuesday, following four more on Monday.
- Earlier, 20 living hostages were freed.
Israel is still waiting for the bodies of 28 more hostages.
Israel has also returned bodies of Palestinians, many of whom went missing in the war.
Discrepancies and Accusations
- The Israeli military stated that one body did not match any hostage.
Prime Minister Netanyahu vowed Israel would not stop until all hostage bodies are returned, insisting Hamas must adhere to the peace deal.
The peace deal was supposed to return all hostages by Monday, but since that did not happen, Hamas was supposed to provide information about the dead hostages and expedite their return.
This is not the first time Hamas has given the wrong body. Earlier this year, they claimed to have returned the bodies of Shiri Bibas and her two sons, but tests revealed one was a Palestinian woman. Bibas' body was returned the next day.
Hamas cited the destruction in Gaza as a reason for the difficulties in locating bodies, stating some are in areas controlled by Israeli troops.
Hamas accused Israel of violating the deal by shooting in Gaza, while Israel's defense minister insisted the military is following the agreement and warned that anyone near the deployment line would be targeted.
Humanitarian Aid and Burials
Two hostage bodies were to be buried on Wednesday, with families inviting people to join them on the way to the cemetery.
Humanitarian aid to Gaza was halted for two days, with the Egyptian Red Crescent reporting 400 trucks carrying food, fuel, and medical supplies were heading to Gaza.
Israel and Hamas are in a dispute over the slow return of hostage bodies, with Israel stating it would only allow half of the daily aid trucks into Gaza.