Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to maintain pressure on Hamas to locate and return the bodies of hostages still held in Gaza, saying Israel will continue to fight terrorism “with full force.”
Speaking at a memorial ceremony in Jerusalem for victims of the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attack, Netanyahu said he was “determined” to secure the return of all remaining hostages’ bodies and to prevent any resurgence of terrorism.
“Our fight against terrorism will continue with full force,” Netanyahu said at Mount Herzl National Cemetery. “We will not allow evil to raise its head. We will exact the full price from anyone who harms us.”
His comments came just hours after Hamas returned the bodies of two more Israeli hostages, identified as Inbar Hayman and Sgt Maj Muhammad al-Atarash, to the International Committee of the Red Cross in Gaza City. Their recovery brings the total number of returned bodies to nine out of 28, according to Israeli authorities.
Hamas said it was still searching for the remaining 19 bodies and cited the need for “specialist equipment” to locate them. Israel, however, has accused the group of violating last week’s ceasefire agreement and threatened to limit humanitarian aid to Gaza until all the remains are recovered.
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, an Israeli advocacy group, urged the government to suspend the ceasefire deal until Hamas fulfills its obligation.
Despite mounting anger in Israel, US officials have downplayed claims that Hamas breached the truce. Two senior advisers to President Donald Trump said Thursday that preparations for the next phase of the ceasefire were continuing.
The advisers told reporters the US believes Hamas has “acted in good faith” by cooperating with mediators and sharing information about missing bodies. They added that destruction across Gaza had complicated recovery efforts, noting that rewards could be offered to civilians with knowledge of the remains’ locations.
Trump also weighed in on the situation, writing on Truth Social that the US would “have no choice but to go in and kill” if Hamas “continues to kill people,” though he reiterated his opposition to sending American troops into Gaza.
Under the current ceasefire deal, Hamas released 20 living hostages on Monday in exchange for 250 Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails and 1,718 detainees from Gaza. The agreement also allowed for the gradual return of the bodies of hostages killed during the war.
A leaked version of the deal published in Israeli media suggests it permits delays in recovering remains from areas inaccessible due to heavy bombardment.
Israel launched its military campaign in Gaza following the 7 October 2023 attack, when Hamas-led gunmen killed about 1,200 people in southern Israel and took 251 hostages. The Gaza Health Ministry says at least 67,967 Palestinianshave since been killed by Israeli strikes, figures the UN considers credible.
In Gaza, authorities are working to identify Palestinian bodies returned by Israel in recent days as part of the ongoing exchange. Another 30 bodies were handed over Thursday, bringing the total to 120.
Meanwhile, Israeli officials confirmed that preparations were under way to reopen the Rafah border crossing with Egypt, which has remained closed since Israeli forces seized the Gaza side in May 2024.
A spokesperson for COGAT, Israel’s military liaison to Palestinian territories, said the crossing would reopen “for the movement of people only” once coordination with Egypt is complete, but stressed that humanitarian aid would continue to enter Gaza through the Kerem Shalom and other Israeli crossings following security checks.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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