Efforts to retrieve bodies of captives in Gaza continue
The efforts of retrieving the bodies of Israeli captives continue. Hamas informed the ICRC of where Amiram Cooper’s body is, and the retrieval has now started in Khan Younis.
We have seen heavy machinery in Khan Younis for this effort.
Palestinians here hope this process will be fast because they are waiting for reconstruction, they are waiting for the Rafah crossing to open, and they are also hoping this ceasefire makes it to the end.
Heavy machinery operates at a site where a search is under way for the bodies of captives killed in Gaza
Egyptian specialists search for remains of captives in Gaza
The Israelis have been putting a lot of pressure on mediators, specifically the United States, saying they’re not ready for any talks on phase two or what’s next of this deal until the remaining 13 bodies of captives are brought back from Gaza.
Hamas has said they don’t know where those bodies are, and they need assistance on the ground in the form of specialised teams and heavy machinery.
Israel was at first reluctant to allow this to happen. In fact, there was a Turkish team of about 80 people who were on the other side of the border just last week, whom Israel denied entry to.
But now they have allowed in an Egyptian team. Hamas too are now searching in areas that are technically under Israeli control, outside that yellow line perimeter where Israeli forces withdrew from.
That’s also because of pressure from mediators who have said to Israel, “If you want to retrieve these bodies, people are going to have to look in these areas.”
The Israelis are saying they not only want this done in the quickest way possible, but they’re also willing to do what they can to assist.
Palestinians watch as specialists from Egypt search for the bodies of captives in Khan Younis, southern Gaza
Question of deceased Israeli captives’ remains becoming ‘huge sticking point’
The issue of the remaining bodies of Israeli captives has become a huge sticking point for the Israelis, who have said on the record that they don’t want to talk about phase two or next steps within Trump’s peace plan until all 13 bodies are brought back to Israel.
Now the family members of those captives say the entire deal should be put on hold until they can get their loved ones back. They say that it has gone on for far too long and they don’t understand what the holdup is.
However, Israeli officials, American officials and those who mediated this deal knew that this was going to be a daunting task. They knew it was going to be incredibly difficult to try to find the remains and exhume the bodies of those captives.
Relatives mourn over the coffin of slain Israeli captive Yossi Sharabi during his funeral procession in Rishon LeZion
And it shows how little Israelis know about the actual situation in Gaza.
