Deliberate Delay
Blackmail with the Dead: Why Hamas is Withholding Location of Ran Gvili and Other Remaining Deceased Captives
Israeli officials believe the Hamas terrorist organization is intentionally delaying the search for and return of the remaining deceased captives to stall the collapse of the current agreement, citing existential fears over a new UN Security Council resolution for Gaza.
The Hamas terrorist organization is intentionally delaying the search for and transfer of the remaining deceased captives to Israel, according to a report aired tonight (Thursday) on Channel 12's central news broadcast. Israeli officials believe Hamas is deliberately dragging its feet to manage the current political climate.
Israeli assessments indicate that Hamas possesses strong indications of where the bodies of the fallen captives are located, yet the terrorist group is withholding the information and not investing the necessary effort required by the current agreement.
Hamas’s Motivations for Delay
Hamas is believed to be employing this tactic due to two main concerns:
The resolution, which passed early this week, authorizes two international bodies to temporarily govern Gaza: a "Peace Council" to act as the interim government, and an international stabilization force to serve as the temporary military. These bodies are mandated to operate for at least two years, likely much longer, in coordination with Israel but without taking direct orders from it. The recent dynamics surrounding Gaza suggest that Israel will be the one forced to align with these bodies.
Consequently, Hamas has recently conveyed a message to mediators, stating: "This is the beginning of the end of the movement in Gaza." Due to this existential threat, Hamas has decided to "lower its profile" and project an image of compliance with the rules of the game established, in part, by U.S. President Trump, while actively working to delay the full implementation of the agreement by withholding the deceased captives.
The Remaining Deceased Captives
Three deceased captives, abducted on October 7, still remain in Gaza:
The deliberate delay by Hamas is causing immense pain to the families of the fallen, as the terrorist group uses the bodies of the deceased as political leverage while it struggles with its future existence in the region.