By CNN
CNN: Photo
By CNN
Israel received the remains of two deceased hostages on Saturday, amid mounting tensions surrounding the Gaza ceasefire.
According to a joint statement from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israel Security Agency (ISA), Hamas handed the bodies to the Red Cross in Gaza, after which they were transferred to Israel for official identification.
Although the truce has generally held as it enters its second week, it is showing signs of strain due to several issues — the slow repatriation of hostage remains, delays in aid deliveries to Gaza, and Israel’s continued airstrikes that have claimed more lives.
On Saturday, the U.S. State Department reported receiving “credible information” that Hamas is preparing an “imminent ceasefire violation” against Palestinians in Gaza. “Such an attack on Palestinian civilians would represent a severe breach of the ceasefire agreement and threaten the progress achieved through diplomatic mediation,” the statement said. It urged Hamas to “honor its commitments under the ceasefire terms.”
The statement also warned that “if Hamas carries out this attack, steps will be taken to defend Gaza’s civilians and uphold the ceasefire.”
CNN has contacted the White House for comment regarding the State Department’s statement.
Before Saturday’s transfer, Hamas had returned only 10 of the 28 hostage bodies stipulated under the ceasefire deal with Israel that took effect last week.
Public anger has been rising in Israel over the delay. Thousands gathered in Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square on Saturday, calling on the government to increase pressure on Hamas to return the remaining bodies.
Hamas has claimed it has already handed over all the remains it could locate, noting that “extensive efforts and specialized equipment” are required to recover more. Israeli intelligence, however, believes Hamas is aware of the locations of some of the deceased hostages still missing, according to two Israeli sources. Israel’s foreign minister accused Hamas of exploiting the hostages’ remains as a bargaining tool.
Speaking to Channel 14 on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterated that the war in Gaza would conclude only once all hostage remains are returned and Hamas is fully disarmed.
“The war in Gaza will end when the agreed-upon conditions are fulfilled,” Netanyahu said. “Phase A involves the return of all our hostages, and Phase B is the disarmament of Hamas — in other words, the complete demilitarization of the Gaza Strip.”
