Massive destruction across Gaza has made it nearly impossible for Hamas to recover the bodies of Israeli hostages trapped under rubble. On Saturday, an Egyptian convoy carrying bulldozers and excavators entered Gaza to assist recovery efforts.
The convoy’s arrival followed a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that required Israel to return 15 Palestinian bodies for every Israeli hostage recovered. So far, Israel has returned 195 Palestinian bodies, while Hamas has handed over 18 Israeli ones. Earlier this month, Hamas released all 20 living Israeli hostages.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he is “watching very closely” to ensure all bodies are returned within 48 hours. “Some are difficult to reach, but others could be returned immediately,” he wrote on Truth Social, accusing Hamas of delaying.
Hamas Expands Search as Rubble Slows Recovery
Hamas officials said widespread destruction has severely hindered recovery operations, with many bodies buried deep underground. The group’s chief negotiator told Egyptian media that special machinery is required to reach corpses trapped beneath collapsed structures.
On Sunday, Hamas expanded its search to new areas of Gaza to locate the remaining 13 bodies, according to Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya. Despite international pressure, the group has not recovered or returned any additional bodies in the past five days.
Last week, a Turkish convoy entered Gaza to clear debris in Khan Younis. Local authorities estimated more than 800 tonnes of rubble have accumulated in the city from continuous Israeli bombardments, further slowing recovery efforts.
Israel Launches New Strike on Nuseirat Refugee Camp
Israeli forces struck Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp on Saturday night, injuring at least four people, officials at Awda Hospital confirmed. The strike marked the second attack on the camp within a week.
The Israeli military claimed it targeted Islamic Jihad militants planning an assault on Israeli troops. Islamic Jihad denied the accusation, calling the strike unprovoked. Hamas condemned the attack as a “blatant violation” of the ceasefire agreement and accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of attempting to undermine peace efforts.
Netanyahu defended the strike during his weekly Cabinet meeting on Sunday. “We will continue neutralizing threats before they materialize, as we did yesterday in Gaza,” he said, reaffirming Israel’s right to act preemptively despite the ongoing ceasefire.
