It’s been confirmed that all 20 live hostages have been returned home this week since the peace plan for Gaza that would see their release was agreed upon by Israel and Hamas. But. It’s a different story for the families of hostages who were murdered in the terror group’s captivity, as only four of the estimated 28 have been returned so far. The Jerusalem Post reports that Hamas has not shown any willingness to release the remains while Egyptian teams are in Gaza attempting to locate the bodies.
As part of the response to Hamas’s refusal to release the remains, the Rafah Crossing will not open tomorrow, and humanitarian aid will be dramatically reduced. Three Israeli officials confirmed the decision to Reuters. The defense establishment’s recommendation was accepted by the Prime Minister at the last minute, according to several sources.
The sources added that an Israeli technical team is consulting with Egyptian officials to resolve issues regarding the return of deceased hostages to Israel.
Israeli discussions on the matter are expected to begin after Simchat Torah with input from the Shin Bet, IDF, and Mossad, along with coordination from the United States. At the same time, there is a desire to put more pressure on Hamas for not following through on the agreed-upon release deal –holding off on opening the Rafah Crossing is one way of doing so.
Hamas has claimed that it has lost contact with some groups managing hostages. While other entities like the Red Cross and Egyptian government are helping, The Fellowship and its generous supporters pray for, and keep in our hearts, the Israeli families who have yet to begin the process of healing as their loved ones have yet to be returned after two years in captivity.
