Terrorist Group Transfers Two Hostage Bodies to Israel Amid Trump Ultimatum

The Red Cross transferred the bodies of two deceased hostages to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israeli Security Agency (ISA) inside the Gaza Strip, the Prime Minister's Office confirmed late Tuesday night. The move, which brings the total number of bodies recently handed over to nine, came hours after President Donald Trump issued a blunt ultimatum to the terrorist group.

The two coffins have crossed into Israeli territory and are being transported to the Forensic Medicine Institute for the necessary identification process. The terrorist group did not immediately disclose the identities of the deceased.

Following the transfer, the Prime Minister's Office released a statement confirming that: "All families of the deceased hostages have been updated, and in this difficult hour, our hearts are with them. The effort to bring back all our captives continues uninterrupted and will not cease until the last captive is returned."

Political Pressure and Cynical Timing

The transfer follows a highly charged day, including a visit by the U.S. Vice President to Israel and immense pressure from the American administration. Israeli sources noted the cynical timing of the transfer.

President Donald Trump, earlier in the day, issued a sharp warning to Hamas, stating that several regional powers were prepared to move into Gaza "to straighten Hamas out" if the group continued violating the ceasefire. Trump posted: "There is still hope that Hamas will do the right thing. If they don’t, the end of Hamas will be fast, furious, and brutal."

Within minutes of this statement, Hamas announced it would transfer two bodies to the Red Cross. Israeli officials told N12 that the terrorist group is "playing a cynical game" and has the capability to return a much larger number of deceased hostages more quickly. The pattern is familiar; earlier this week, when Israel began air strikes in response to terrorist fire, Hamas coincidentally "found" another hostage body to transfer.

With this latest transfer, 13 deceased hostages remain in the Gaza Strip.

Military Ceremony and Ongoing Operations

The handover procedure mirrored previous exchanges: the two deceased were transferred from Hamas to the Red Cross, and then to the IDF and ISA. A brief military ceremony was conducted inside Gaza, including the recitation of Psalms by the Chief Military Rabbi and the placing of an Israeli flag on the coffins before they were transported for forensic identification.

This transfer occurred one day after the body of Tal Chaimi, the head of the security squad for Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak, was repatriated. Chaimi fell on October 7 and his body was taken into Gaza. His return provides some solace to his wife and four children, the youngest of whom was born in May 2024, nearly six months after his murder.

Meanwhile, IDF forces continue to operate inside the Gaza Strip. Two soldiers sustained minor injuries from an explosive device explosion in the southern part of the Strip this afternoon. The forces were clearing a security area in Khan Younis.