Are Two More Hostages Home?
Hostage Deal Under Threat: Two More Bodies Returned as Israel Warns Hamas is "Playing a Dangerous Game"
Israel received two more coffins containing deceased hostages from the Red Cross, a limited handover that intensified political frustration and prompted warnings from both Israeli and U.S. leaders that the war could resume at any moment if Hamas does not fully comply with the agreement.
In the latest development concerning the volatile hostage exchange agreement, the Prime Minister's Office confirmed late last night that two coffins containing the remains of deceased hostages were transferred from Hamas to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) via the Red Cross. The bodies are now en route to the National Center for Forensic Medicine at Abu Kabir for identification, a solemn process that will precede the formal notification of the families.
The limited nature of the handover, just two bodies, highlighted the ongoing strain on the agreement. High-level political sources in Israel voiced deep frustration with the terror group’s compliance, stating, "We know exactly how many Hamas is capable of releasing and we have made it clear to the mediators that they are playing a dangerous game." Another Israeli official insisted that "Hamas knows very well where there are additional deceased hostages."
This anger stems from the fact that Hamas has so far returned the bodies of only seven of the estimated 28 deceased hostages held in Gaza. The returned fallen are: Uriel Baruch, Tamir Nimrodi, Eitan Levy, Yossi Sharabi, Bipin Joshi, Guy Illouz, and Captain Daniel Perez.
Hamas Claims "Great Efforts" Needed
In an official statement, Hamas attempted to deflect responsibility for the slow return, claiming it is meeting its commitments. The group asserted that it "delivered all the living hostages and the bodies of the deceased hostages it could reach." Regarding the remaining bodies, Hamas claimed that "great efforts and special equipment are required to search for and extract them", adding, "We are investing great efforts to close this matter."
Professional sources in Israel estimate that the process of recovering all deceased hostages could take weeks and may require an international search mechanism to retrieve the remaining bodies.
Trump and Katz Issue Stark Warnings
The mounting pressure over compliance has drawn sharp threats from the highest political levels in both the U.S. and Israel.
U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his authority to end the ceasefire, telling reporters that if Hamas does not adhere to the agreement, he would allow the military campaign to resume. "Israeli forces will be able to return to the streets the moment I say the word," Trump said, adding that "what is happening with Hamas will be quickly corrected."
Concurrently, Defense Minister Israel Katz instructed the IDF to prepare an "overall decisive plan to defeat Hamas in Gaza" should the terror group refuse to implement the Trump plan. Katz's office clarified that if Hamas breaches the deal, "Israel, in coordination with the U.S., will return to fighting and act for the complete defeat of Hamas and the change of the reality in Gaza."
Negotiations for Phase Two Denied
The tensions played out against a backdrop of conflicting reports regarding the next steps in the peace process. The Wall Street Journal reported that Israel and Hamas had begun negotiating Phase Two of the Trump peace plan, which would address governance in Gaza and the disarmament of Hamas.
However, a senior Israeli source vehemently denied this report, emphasizing that "Negotiations on Phase Two have not begun. Phase One, the release of all hostages, living and deceased, must be completed first." The Israeli government’s current focus remains entirely on completing the initial stage of the agreement.