CAIRO — Hamas has widened its search for the remains of Israeli hostages in the Gaza Strip, the group said Sunday, a day after Egypt sent a team of experts and heavy equipment to help recover bodies buried in the rubble.
The search is part of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement that took effect on October 10. Under the deal, Hamas must return all remaining hostages, while Israel is to hand over 15 Palestinian bodies for each one recovered.
Residents of Khan Younis watched as Egyptian crews used bulldozers and excavators to dig through debris near destroyed buildings. So far, Hamas has returned 15 sets of remains, but none in the past five days. Israel has transferred 195 Palestinian bodies, many still unidentified.
Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya said the group had begun searching new areas for the bodies of 13 remaining hostages. He added that efforts were hampered by widespread destruction across Gaza.
U.S. President Donald Trump warned Saturday that Washington was “watching very closely” to ensure Hamas fulfills its commitments within 48 hours. He said some of the remains “can be returned now” but accused the group of unnecessary delays.
An Egyptian team entered Gaza on Saturday with excavation machinery as part of ongoing mediation to reinforce the ceasefire, according to Egyptian officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces carried out a strike late Saturday in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. Al-Awda Hospital said it received several wounded. The Israeli military claimed it was targeting militants from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad who were planning attacks. The group denied the accusation.
Hamas condemned the airstrike as a “clear violation” of the ceasefire and accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of undermining U.S.-led efforts to end the war. Netanyahu defended the military action, saying Israel had the right to preempt threats.
The ceasefire remains fragile after a series of similar incidents. On October 19, Israel struck Nuseirat following the killing of two Israeli soldiers, launching dozens of attacks across Gaza that killed at least 36 Palestinians, according to local health authorities.
Gaza’s Health Ministry says more than 68,500 Palestinians have been killed since the war began two years ago after Hamas’ October 7, 2023, assault on Israel. The ministry’s figures, which include both civilians and combatants, are broadly accepted by U.N. agencies, though disputed by Israel, which has not released its own count.
Saturday’s airstrike came shortly after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio concluded his visit to Israel. He met officials at a new joint coordination center overseeing ceasefire implementation and reconstruction efforts. Around 200 U.S. troops are stationed at the center, though Washington maintains none are operating inside Gaza.
Rubio said Israel, the U.S,. and other mediators were sharing intelligence to prevent attacks, crediting the coordination for thwarting a potential assault last weekend.
The ceasefire framework still faces major challenges, including the disarmament of Hamas and plans for postwar governance in Gaza, where the U.N. continues to call for greater humanitarian access to address famine and displacement.
