Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump expressed frustration on social media over delays in the return of dead hostages. However, he did not mention Israelโs decision to halve the flow of aid into the territory.
Hamas on Tuesday handed over the mortal remains of four more hostages after Israel flagged delay in the process and threatened to slash aid deliveries to Gaza by half. Late Tuesday, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that the bodies of four hostages were received by Israeli military forces in Gaza, handed over by the Red Cross. The remains will be transferred to the National Centre for Forensic Medicine for identification, after which the families will be informed.
Earlier, the remains of four other hostages were handed over to Israel.
However, it’s unclear whether the Israeli military agency COGAT would actually allow only half of the 600 aid trucks, as agreed, to enter Gaza.
The Israeli military agency informed the United Nationsโ humanitarian office about proposed cuts to aid destined for famine-stricken Gaza. According to AP, US officials were also briefed on this development.
Trumpโs stark warning to Hamas
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump expressed frustration on social media over delays in the return of dead hostages. However, he did not mention Israelโs decision to halve the flow of aid into the territory.
Trump also issued a stern warning to Hamas, stating that if they do not disarm voluntarily, โwe will disarm them.โ
Families of hostages cry foul
Hamas and the Red Cross have reported that recovering the remains of deceased hostages is difficult due to the extensive destruction in Gaza, with Hamas informing mediators that some bodies remain in areas under Israeli military control.
The ceasefire plan proposed by the US required all hostagesโboth alive and deceasedโto be handed over within 72 hours, setting a deadline for Monday.
However, the plan included a provision in case the transfer was delayed, stating that Hamas must share information about the deceased hostages and make every effort to complete the handover as soon as possible.
Families of the hostages and their supporters expressed frustration after only four of the 28 bodies were returned by Monday.
The Hostages Family Forum, representing many relatives, condemned Hamas, calling the limited return a clear breach of the agreement.ย