Massive destruction across the Gaza Strip has made it difficult for Hamas to locate and recover the bodies of Israeli hostages buried under rubble. On Saturday, Egypt sent its first convoy of heavy machinery, including excavators and bulldozers, into Gaza to assist with the search.
Under a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal, Israel agreed to return 15 Palestinian bodies for every Israeli body recovered. So far, Israel has handed over 195 Palestinian bodies, while Hamas has returned 18 Israeli ones. Earlier this month, Hamas released all 20 surviving hostages.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he is “watching very closely” to ensure the remaining bodies are returned within 48 hours. “Some of the bodies are hard to reach, but others can be returned now,” he wrote on Truth Social.
Hamas Expands Search Amid Widespread Devastation
Hamas officials said they have struggled to locate and retrieve more bodies due to the extensive damage from Israeli airstrikes. Many corpses remain buried deep underground, requiring specialized recovery equipment.
On Sunday, Hamas expanded its search operations to new locations across the Gaza Strip, said Khalil al-Hayya, the group’s leader in Gaza. He confirmed that search teams continue to look for 13 remaining Israeli bodies.
Last week, Turkish crews entered Gaza to clear debris from Khan Younis. City officials estimated nearly 800 tonnes of rubble accumulated from months of Israeli bombardment, obstructing recovery and rebuilding efforts.
Israel Bombs Refugee Camp Despite Ceasefire
Israeli forces struck Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp on Saturday night, injuring at least four people, Awda Hospital officials reported. The attack marked Israel’s second strike on the same camp within a week.
The Israeli military said it targeted Islamic Jihad militants allegedly planning to attack Israeli troops. The group denied the accusation, calling the claim false. Hamas condemned the strike as a “clear violation” of the ceasefire and accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of trying to sabotage peace efforts.
Netanyahu defended the assault during his Cabinet meeting Sunday, saying, “We act against threats as they form, before they strike—just as we did yesterday in Gaza.”
