Gaza city: The Palestinian group Hamas announced on Saturday its readiness to recover the remains of all Israeli hostages located within the 'yellow line' in Gaza. The group urged mediators and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to assist by providing the necessary machinery to expedite the recovery process.
According to Anadolu Agency, the 'yellow line' refers to an area in Gaza from which Israeli forces have withdrawn following a ceasefire agreement that began on October 10. This line serves as a non-physical boundary dividing the territory, stretching south of Gaza City and north of Khan Younis. The Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, stated that their teams are prepared to retrieve the bodies of Israeli prisoners throughout the area simultaneously to resolve the issue of the hostage remains.
Hamas has called on mediators and the Red Cross to equip the necessary machinery and teams for the simultaneous recovery of all bodies, presenting it as a measure to resolve disputes over the fate of the remains. The group reported that it transferred three unidentified bodies on Friday after Israel declined to accept samples and insisted on receiving entire bodies for forensic analysis. Hamas stated they handed over the bodies to refute Israeli claims and avoid delays.
Israeli media reported that the remains of the three individuals handed over by Hamas are not those of Israeli hostages. Since the initial phase of the Gaza ceasefire took effect on October 10, Hamas has released 20 Israeli captives alive and returned 19 out of 28 remains, primarily of Israelis. However, Israel has claimed that one of the returned bodies did not correspond to any of its known captives.
The Gaza Health Ministry reports that Israel has caused the deaths of 211 Palestinians and injured 597 others since the ceasefire. Israel has linked the commencement of negotiations for the ceasefire's second phase to the return of all hostage remains. Hamas contends that the process requires time due to the extensive destruction in Gaza.
The first phase of the ceasefire agreement involves the release of Israeli hostages in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners. The plan also includes rebuilding Gaza and establishing a new governing structure excluding Hamas. Israel's actions since October 2023 have resulted in over 68,500 fatalities, predominantly women and children, and more than 170,600 injuries in Gaza.