Hamas Breach of Agreement: Only 4 of the 28 Deceased Hostages to be Returned Today

The immense joy of the hostage exchange process was marred today by the announcement that only a small fraction of the murdered captives will be returned, a clear breach of the agreed-upon terms. Hamas's military wing issued a statement identifying the bodies of the four deceased hostages whose remains will be repatriated today: Guy Illouz, Yossi Sharabi, Bipin Joshi, and Daniel Perez.

Families of the murdered hostages were officially updated that only these four bodies would be returned, despite the agreement stipulating the return of all 28 deceased captives held by Hamas.

The Hostages Families Headquarters immediately issued a strong statement condemning the move, calling it a "blatant violation of the agreement by Hamas." The headquarters is now demanding swift action from all parties involved. "We expect the Government of Israel and the mediators to act immediately to correct this terrible injustice," the statement read. "We will not give up on any hostage, man or woman, and the mediators must enforce the terms of the agreement and exact a price from the Hamas terror organization for the violation."

IDF Spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Efi Defrin, confirmed in a statement that Israel had been informed of the limited return. "Even at this hour, efforts are being made, at all levels, to exert pressure for the continuation of the process of releasing the deceased," he said. "We demand that Hamas uphold its part of the agreement. We do not forget them for a moment. We will not rest until all of them reach their families and a proper burial in Israel."

The refusal to return the full complement of bodies adds a profound layer of distress to the already agonizing process for the families involved. The terror group’s action complicates the diplomatic efforts and challenges the credibility of the international mediators, who had guaranteed that Hamas would comply with the terms related to the return of all the deceased. The limited handover intensifies the pressure on the mediating countries to compel Hamas to fulfill its full obligations and provide closure to the remaining families.