Hamas has returned the bodies of two individuals following Israel’s renewed assaults on Gaza
The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed that Israel has taken possession of the two bodies
Hamas returned the bodies of two dead Israeli captives after Israel resumed air strikes that shattered the tenuous Gaza truce.
According to the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the two bodies were received by Israeli forces through the Red Cross in Gaza. The victims were later identified as Amiram Cooper, abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz, and Sahar Baruch, taken from Kibbutz Be’eri during the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023.
Israeli officials said the causes of death would be determined following autopsies at Tel Aviv’s Abu Kabir forensic institute.
Under the US-brokered ceasefire agreement aimed at halting Israel’s two year war on Gaza, Hamas had released 20 living captives in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian political prisoners. Israeli troops also began a partial withdrawal from urban areas of Gaza.
However, since the ceasefire began on October 10, Israeli strikes have killed dozens of Palestinians throughout the enclave. Between Tuesday and Wednesday alone, Gaza’s Health Ministry reported that 104 people were killed, including 46 children and 20 women.
As part of the ceasefire terms, Hamas agreed to return the remains of 28 captives in exchange for the bodies of Palestinians killed during the war. By Thursday, the group had handed over 15 sets of remains, stating that it still required heavy machinery and technical support to recover bodies buried under the vast debris caused by Israeli bombardments. Israel, however, has accused Hamas of delaying the handover of the remaining bodies.
According to Arab media reports from central Gaza, Hamas continues to face logistical and operational challenges in recovering bodies from areas heavily bombarded by Israel. The group has called for the entry of bulldozers and excavation equipment to assist in the process, while Israel continues to claim that Hamas is deliberately slowing down the recovery.
The dispute over body recovery and exchange remains a key obstacle to efforts led by US President Donald Trump to bring a lasting end to the conflict. Other major challenges persist, including decisions about Gaza’s future governance and Israel’s demand that Hamas disarm.
Earlier on Thursday, witnesses said Israeli aircraft carried out around ten air raids in areas east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, while tanks shelled northern districts near Gaza City before dawn. The Israeli military said its forces launched “precise strikes” targeting “terrorist infrastructure posing threats to troops” in active combat zones.
Meanwhile, UN officials reported that more than 24,000 tons of humanitarian aid have entered Gaza since the ceasefire began. They urged Israel to permit more NGOs to take part in distributing the aid, stressing that despite improved access, funding shortages and coordination hurdles remain, particularly at sealed border crossings.
The World Food Program's regional director for the Middle East said that within 20 days of scaling up operations after the ceasefire, approximately 20,000 metric tons of food had been delivered inside Gaza.
A UN humanitarian coordinator emphasized that full implementation of the 20 point ceasefire plan is vital for consistent aid delivery, adding that restrictions on NGO registration remain a major obstacle. He reiterated the “essential role” played by local and international NGOs in Gaza’s humanitarian operations.
Sources cited by Arab media said that on Thursday, Israeli forces demolished several homes east of the Tuffah and Shujayea neighborhoods in Gaza City. Since launching renewed ground operations earlier this month, Israel has reportedly pursued a systematic campaign of destruction in eastern Gaza, flattening entire residential areas with bulldozers and heavy machinery as its forces advance deeper into the city.
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