In a televised interview, senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya has reiterated the terror group’s claim that it is prepared to locate and return the bodies of 15 hostages held in the Gaza Strip, but insists the operation requires more time and heavy machinery.
Speaking with the Al-Qahira Al-Akhbariya channel, al-Hayya stated, “We are ready to recover and hand over all the bodies [of the hostages] according to the agreement; we have no desire to keep anyone with us — let them return to their relatives.” He justified the demand by explaining that the bodies are difficult to retrieve, as some are “under the ground and beneath buildings,” following months of intense conflict.
This long-standing claim has been met with deep skepticism from Israeli officials. Israel has publicly accused Hamas of lying, asserting that the terror group can return almost all of the bodies within a short timeframe if it chooses to do so. There are significant concerns that any heavy equipment provided could be repurposed by Hamas for military purposes, such as rebuilding its tunnel network or fortifying defensive positions.
Beyond the issue of the hostages, al-Hayya used the interview to make broader political declarations. He claimed that the guarantees received from mediators and the United States mean that “the war in Gaza has ended.” He also stressed that Hamas has told mediators the amount of humanitarian aid entering Gaza must be increased.
The situation remains fraught with tension. In a related development, an official in the Israeli Prime Minister’s office stated that Israel would refrain from taking military action against Hamas for as long as the terror group continues to return hostages’ bodies. This statement highlights the fragile, step-by-step nature of the current negotiations.
The human cost of the conflict was also evident today as a motorcade of bikers escorted the body of slain hostage Ronen Engel in a funeral procession, a somber reminder of the ongoing anguish for affected families. Meanwhile, international pressure for aid continues to mount, with the World Food Programme calling on Israel to open a crossing into north Gaza to get more essential supplies into the devastated Strip.
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