Hamas hands body of Israeli captive under ceasefire agreement

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
Today 00:25
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Hamas handed over the body of an Israeli captive as part of efforts to maintain the ongoing ceasefire, while accusing Netanyahu of obstructing further recovery operations.

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A Red Cross vehicle arrives at the site where members of the Hamas movement work on searching for bodies of the captives in an area in Hamad City, Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Hamas on Monday handed over the body of one Israeli captive, as part of ongoing efforts to uphold the current ceasefire agreement. This follows the recent handover of two bodies on October 21, when the al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, recovered the remains of the captives from beneath the rubble inside the Gaza Strip.

Since the ceasefire came into effect, the Palestinian Resistance has handed over the remains of 18 captives out of a total of 28, most of whom are Israeli, in addition to 20 living captives.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Egyptian engineering teams have recently been granted access to Gaza to assist in locating and recovering the remaining bodies, many of which are believed to be buried beneath extensive rubble caused by months of Israeli bombardment.

On October 26, an Egyptian convoy carrying heavy machinery crossed into Gaza through the Karem Abu Salem crossing after receiving approval from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The mission, coordinated with the Red Cross, is tasked with supporting Palestinian civil defense teams in the ongoing recovery operation. Turkish rescue teams, however, remain barred from entry after "Israel" reportedly objected to their participation. According to Hamas, roughly a dozen bodies are still unrecovered due to the lack of specialized equipment and the continued blockade, which prevents the entry of essential machinery.

Fragile truce

The movement reaffirmed its adherence to the ceasefire agreement, stressing that it is “the Israeli occupation that continues to violate the truce and fabricate pretexts to justify its crimes.” Indeed, despite the declared truce on October 11, Israeli forces have continued assaults across several regions of Gaza, destroying homes, detaining civilians, and firing on residential areas and fishing boats. Earlier in the day, the Gaza Health Ministry confirmed eight martyrs and 13 injuries over the past 48 hours amid persistent Israeli violations, including drone and artillery strikes in Khan Younis, Rafah, and Deir al-Balah.

Humanitarian agencies warn that ongoing Israeli restrictions, particularly limits on aid entry and reconstruction materials, are deepening Gaza’s crisis. UN reports indicate that 83% of Gaza City’s structures have been destroyed and more than 81,000 homes damaged, leaving thousands displaced and sleeping in the open. According to the latest estimates, 93 Palestinians have been martyred and 337 injured since the ceasefire began, while civil defense crews have recovered 472 bodies from the ruins.

The handover of bodies and prisoners marks the first tangible development since the truce began, yet reconstruction remains stalled amid worsening living conditions. More than 40 humanitarian organizations have condemned "Israel’s" continued blockade of aid shipments, warning that these restrictions are depriving Palestinians of lifesaving assistance and jeopardizing the fragile ceasefire.