Massive destruction across the Gaza Strip has made it nearly impossible for Hamas to locate and retrieve the bodies of Israeli hostages buried under rubble. On Saturday, an Egyptian convoy carrying excavators and bulldozers entered Gaza to assist in recovery efforts.
The U.S.-brokered ceasefire agreement requires Israel to return 15 Palestinian bodies for every Israeli body recovered. So far, Israel has returned 195 Palestinian bodies, while Hamas has returned 18 Israeli bodies. Earlier this month, Hamas released all 20 living Israeli hostages.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he is “watching closely” to ensure the remaining bodies are returned within 48 hours. He added, “Some of the bodies are hard to reach, but others they can return now—and, for some reason, they are not.”
Search Operations Expand Across Gaza Amid Widespread Ruins
Hamas officials said extensive destruction has severely hindered their search operations. The group’s chief negotiator told Egyptian media that many bodies are buried deep underground, requiring specialized machinery to recover them. On Sunday, Hamas expanded its search to new areas to locate the remaining 13 bodies, according to Gaza leader Khalil al-Hayya.
Last week, a Turkish convoy entered Gaza to clear debris in Khan Younis. Local authorities estimated more than 800 tonnes of rubble have piled up due to Israeli airstrikes. Recovery teams continue working under difficult conditions as infrastructure damage blocks access to many collapsed sites.
Israel Launches Second Strike on Refugee Camp in One Week
Israeli forces struck Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp on Saturday night, injuring at least four people, according to Awda Hospital officials. It marked the second Israeli attack on the camp in a week.
The Israeli military said it targeted Islamic Jihad operatives allegedly planning attacks against Israeli troops. The group denied those claims, saying no operations were being prepared. Hamas condemned the strike as a “clear violation” of the ceasefire deal and accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of deliberately undermining peace efforts.
Netanyahu defended the strike, saying Israel must act preemptively. “We thwart dangers as they form, before they are carried out, as we did yesterday in Gaza,” he said during his weekly Cabinet meeting on Sunday.
