Hamas returns bodies of 4 more hostages after Israel threatens aid cut
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International Red Cross vehicles transport released Israeli hostages in the central Gaza Strip. Photo: Bashar Taleb/AFP via Getty
Hamas returned the remains of four additional deceased hostages on Tuesday after Israel accused the group of noncompliance with the U.S.-brokered peace deal and threatened to cut aid to Gaza.
Why it matters: The dispute over the remains of 28 deceased hostages became the first crisis of the peace process.
- Among the deceased hostages whose bodies have yet to be returned are two Americans, Itay Chen and Omer Neutra.
- Hamas promised to return all 28 under the deal but stressed during the negotiations that it didn't know the exact locations of many of them. The group has said some are trapped under rubble, and it could take months to find all of them.
Driving the news: On Monday, Hamas gave Israel four bodies through the Red Cross, fewer than Israeli officials said they expected.
- When it emerged that Hamas didn't intend to return any additional bodies on Tuesday, Israel claimed that was a violation of the agreement and threatened to delay implementation of other key aspects of the deal.
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved decisions to block the Rafah crossing from Gaza into Egypt from reopening and halve the number of aid trucks entering Gaza if more bodies weren't returned.
- President Trump also weighed in on Truth Social. "ALL TWENTY HOSTAGES ARE BACK AND FEELING AS GOOD AS CAN BE EXPECTED. A big burden has been lifted, but the job IS NOT DONE. THE DEAD HAVE NOT BEEN RETURNED, AS PROMISED! Phase Two begins right NOW!!!" he wrote.
Behind the scenes: The Israelis stressed, through the Qatari and Egyptian mediators, that they see the return of the bodies as an essential part of the agreement and demanded a maximum effort from Hamas to locate them, senior Israeli officials say.
- One senior Israeli official said Hamas hadn't seemed to realize how seriously Israel took the issue until Tuesday. The official claimed Hamas officials also now realize Israel knows more than they presumed about the number and locations of bodies Hamas is holding.
What to watch: The next phase of the deal will be the disarming of Hamas and the establishment of a new governing mechanism for Gaza that excludes the group.
- Trump told reporters on Tuesday that Hamas told his team "on the highest levels" that it's ready to disarm.
- A U.S. official and a source with knowledge said Hamas expressed its willingness to give up its heavy weapons — mainly rockets and missiles — to a Palestinian or Arab entity, but insisted on keeping their guns for self-defense.
- "They're going to disarm ... and if they don't disarm, we will disarm them," Trump said. "They know I am not playing games."
State of play: Hamas' security forces have reestablished control over the parts of Gaza from which Israeli troops withdrew.
- Hamas' forces attacked two local Gaza clans, calling them outlaws and criminals. Some members of these clans were also members of militias Israel tried to set up in parts of Gaza as a counterweight to Hamas.
- Hamas also conducted numerous summary executions in the streets of Gaza, according to videos circulating on social media. Hamas officials confirmed the executions of people it claimed had conspired with Israel.
- The Palestinian Authority called on Hamas to immediately stop the executions.
The intrigue: Trump said on Sunday that the U.S. had allowed Hamas forces to redeploy in Gaza in order to maintain law and order.
- On Tuesday, he said Hamas "took out several very bad gangs" in Gaza and stressed he "didn't mind."
