Israel Shares Intelligence on Hostage Remains in Gaza with Mediators

Israel has provided intelligence to mediating countries regarding the locations of deceased hostages' bodies in Gaza, aiming to expedite their return under the ceasefire agreement. An Israeli official stated, "In coordination with the United States and the mediators, Israel is exerting pressure to complete the stage of returning all the bodies held by Hamas."

The intelligence, including precise coordinates, has been shared with Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey. Despite Hamas's claim of difficulty in locating the remaining bodies, a senior Israeli official asserted, "There is a double-digit number of hostages that it can return."

The ceasefire agreement stipulated the return of all hostages, living and deceased, within 72 hours. However, the process has been slow, with only nine of the 28 slain hostages returned so far. In response, Turkey has deployed 81 disaster relief experts to Gaza to assist in locating the bodies. A Turkish defense ministry source indicated that "one team will be in charge of seeking and finding the bodies."

The role of the United States in the emerging International Security Force for Gaza remains unclear, which has hindered the mission's progress. A European diplomat noted, "The intention of the US is not completely clear... It's not yet clear if it's just to set up a C2 [command and control] structure and that's it, or if they're going to also participate in the force itself on the ground."

Israeli officials have expressed frustration over the delays. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar emphasized, "Israel knows full well that Hamas is capable of returning additional bodies and is choosing not to do so." The Hostages and Missing Families Forum has urged the government to delay further steps in the truce until all bodies are returned, stating, "Any diplomatic or military action that does not ensure their return is an abandonment of Israel’s civilians."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened a meeting to discuss potential responses to what Israel considers Hamas's violations of the ceasefire agreement. Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that if Hamas fails to return the bodies, Israel "will resume fighting and act to achieve a total defeat of Hamas, to change the reality in Gaza and achieve all the objectives of the war."

President Donald Trump has called for patience, acknowledging the complexity of the situation. He remarked, "It's a gruesome process... but they're digging, they're actually digging... There are areas where they are digging and they're finding a lot of bodies... And some of those bodies have been in there a long time, and some of them are under rubble."

As efforts continue, the situation remains tense, with the ceasefire agreement under strain due to the slow return of hostages' remains.