While efforts to return the bodies of the remaining 24 hostages in Gaza are stalling, Hamas is in the process of releasing four more hostages who were killed in their captivity. Ynet reports that the bodies should arrive in Israel by tonight.
When Israel received only four of the deceased hostages yesterday, the Israeli reaction was one of anger and confusion at the terror group for breaking the agreed-upon terms for the hostage release in the U.S.-brokered peace plan. Israeli forces had adhered to the terms by withdrawing from Gaza. The Red Cross and Egyptian forces are assisting in locating the missing bodies, as Hamas claims to have lost contact with the groups responsible for them.
Israel believes that Hamas is still holding additional bodies of deceased hostages, and negotiations and pressure are ongoing through the mediators to secure their return. At the same time, Israel transferred 45 bodies of Hamas operatives to Gaza today, in accordance with the formula stipulating that 15 bodies are returned for each deceased Israeli hostage. So far, four bodies have been returned.
Yesterday, the nation united around the release of 20 living hostages, but it soon became clear that Hamas did not intend to fully comply with the agreement. During U.S. President Donald Trump’s address to the Knesset, it was revealed that Hamas had handed over only four of the 28 deceased hostages, heightening fears that locating the rest would be difficult.
We praise God that the living hostages have, at long last, been reunited with their families. We also pray for the families of those who were taken, murdered, and have yet to be returned. When the bodies of those killed are home, Israel and her people can truly begin the process of healing.