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Hostages

Delay in Returning Hostage Remains Sparks Outrage in Israel

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

As part of the US-brokered ceasefire deal, Hamas had agreed to release all hostages, living and dead, from Gaza to Israel. However, delays in returning the remaining bodies have caused outrage in Israel, with the remains of 10 of the 28 deceased hostages having been returned to Israel as of Saturday. The Israeli prime minister's office has ordered the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt to remain closed until further notice, citing the need for Hamas to uphold the agreement and return all hostage remains.

Key Takeaways:

  • The delay in returning the remaining hostage bodies has caused outrage in Israel, with the Israeli prime minister's office ordering the closure of the Rafah border crossing.
  • As of Saturday, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) had confirmed the identity of 10 deceased hostages, with the 11th identified as Eliyahu Margalit, who was killed on October 7, 2023.
  • The ceasefire deal stipulated the release from Gaza of all hostages, living and dead, and 250 Palestinian prisoners were freed in Israeli jails and 1,718 detainees were released from Gaza as part of the deal.
  • Hamas has blamed Israel for making it difficult to recover bodies under the rubble, with the Israeli military saying that Hamas must uphold the agreement and take necessary steps to return all hostages.
  • The US has downplayed suggestions that the delay amounts to a breach of the ceasefire deal, with a leaked version of the text appearing to account for the possibility that not all bodies would be immediately accessible.
  • UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher described the Gaza Strip as "a wasteland", with people searching through rubble for bodies and trying to find their homes, many of which have been flattened.
  • The bodies of 15 Palestinians were handed over by Israel via the Red Cross to officials in Gaza on Saturday, bringing the total number of bodies taken by Hamas to 135.
  • Separately on Saturday, 11 members of one Palestinian family were killed by an Israeli tank shell, marking the deadliest single incident involving Israeli soldiers in Gaza since the start of the ceasefire.

Statistics:

  • 28 deceased hostages still remain in Gaza, according to the Israeli prime minister's office.
  • 10 of the 28 deceased hostages have been returned to Israel, with the 11th identified as Eliyahu Margalit.
  • 250 Palestinian prisoners were freed in Israeli jails as part of the US-brokered ceasefire deal.
  • 1,718 detainees were released from Gaza as part of the deal.
  • 1,200 people were killed in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in an attack carried out by Hamas-led gunmen.
  • At least 68,000 people have been killed by Israeli attacks in Gaza since the start of the campaign on October 7, 2023, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.

Sources:

  • BBC News Channel
  • Israeli Prime Minister's Office
  • United News of India

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