JERUSALEM — Hamas handed over the bodies of three hostages on Sunday, as the Palestinian militant group and Israel traded accusations over violations of the fragile ceasefire that has largely paused nearly two years of war.
Israeli forces in Gaza received three coffins containing the bodies of the hostages, transferred through the International Committee of the Red Cross, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said. The remains were brought to Israel for identification.
The bodies are believed to be among 11 sets of remains Israel has demanded under the terms of the truce. Israel has accused Hamas of moving too slowly, while Hamas said it is working “as quickly as possible under difficult conditions.”
The dispute is among several issues delaying full implementation of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire, in effect since October 10.
Earlier Sunday, an Israeli airstrike killed a man in northern Gaza. The Israeli military said its aircraft targeted a militant who posed a threat to its troops. Al-Ahli Hospital reported that one man was killed near a vegetable market in Gaza City’s Shejaia district.
“There are still Hamas pockets in areas under our control in Gaza, and we are systematically eliminating them,” Netanyahu said during a cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.
Hamas, for its part, released what it described as a list of Israeli ceasefire violations. Ismail Al-Thawabta, director of the Hamas-run Gaza government media office, denied claims that Hamas fighters had attacked Israeli soldiers.
The ceasefire has brought relative calm to the enclave, allowing hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to return to the ruins of their homes. Israel has withdrawn troops from some urban positions, and more humanitarian aid has been allowed to enter.
Under the agreement, Hamas released all 20 living hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and wartime detainees held by Israel. It is also committed to handing over the remains of 28 deceased hostages in exchange for the bodies of 360 Palestinian militants killed during the war. Before Sunday’s turnover, Hamas had returned 17.
Still, violence has not completely stopped. Palestinian health authorities report that Israeli strikes have killed 236 people in Gaza since the truce began, nearly half of them in a single day last week when Israel retaliated for an attack on its troops. Israel says three of its soldiers have been killed and that it has targeted dozens of fighters.
The ceasefire, brokered by the United States, remains fragile as both sides appeal to Washington to curb violations.
According to the Israeli military, U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman General Dan Caine met with Israel’s military chief, Eyal Zamir, on Saturday to discuss developments in Gaza. Netanyahu said all Israeli actions in the territory are reported to Washington. Hamas, however, accused the U.S. of not doing enough to ensure Israel’s compliance with the ceasefire agreement.
Roughly 200 U.S. troops are currently stationed in southern Israel to monitor the truce and assist in planning an international stabilization force for Gaza, as envisioned in later phases of U.S. President Donald Trump’s peace initiative.
So far, little progress has been made toward those next stages. Major hurdles remain, including the disarmament of Hamas and establishing a timetable for Israel’s full withdrawal from Gaza.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
- Venus L Peñaflor
