JERUSALEM, 28 October (H.S.): On Monday, Hamas transferred the remains of another deceased hostage to Israeli forces as part of the ongoing Gaza ceasefire agreement. The handover, the sixteenth of a promised 28, occurred amid rising demands from hostage families and Israeli officials for Hamas to accelerate the return of all remaining captives.

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum highlighted that the deadline stipulated in the agreement has passed, with 13 bodies still in Hamas’s possession. The families are urging the Israeli government and international mediators to delay further phases of the agreement until Hamas fulfills its obligations.

In response, a Hamas spokesperson denied knowing the exact locations of all remaining bodies, attributing the delays to the extensive destruction in Gaza from the two-year war, but affirmed the group’s commitment to completing the handover.

To aid in the search, Egypt has dispatched recovery crews and heavy equipment into Gaza with Israeli approval, and the Red Cross is also involved. Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts continue, with the U.S. working to establish an international security force to police the truce.

However, Israel has expressed firm opposition to any potential involvement by Turkey in such a force, citing Ankara’s hostile stance. In a sign of de-escalation, Israel’s defense minister on Monday lifted the state of emergency that had been in place for areas near the Gaza border since the October 2023 attacks.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar