On Friday, Hamas announced it would hand over the body of another Israeli hostage to the Red Cross. Israel confirmed the handover would take place after midnight on Saturday. The country had previously received nine of the 28 bodies held in Gaza.
Hamas to hand over body of another Israeli hostage to the Red Cross
Hamas officials say heavy equipment is needed to remove the bodies from the rubble. Israel insists it knows the location of all the hostages, and the group is running out of time to act.
The armed wing of Hamas clarified that the body would be handed over around 11:00 PM local time, and the Red Cross would receive it at 12:30 AM.
Turkey expressed concern, with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan saying that delays could serve as an excuse for Israel to violate the ceasefire.
Hamas also called for accelerated implementation of the remaining provisions of the agreement: opening borders, delivering humanitarian aid, beginning reconstruction work, and completing the withdrawal of Israeli troops. This week, 20 hostages captured on October 7 were released alive. Israel is preparing to reopen the Rafa crossing on the border with Egypt, but the exact date is still unknown.
Agreement Implementation Begins: Hostage Release
Twenty Israeli hostages have been released as part of a new agreement between Israel and Hamas. US President Donald Trump called this step the “greatest success” of his political career.
Speaking in the Knesset, Trump declared that “the war in Gaza is finally over” and noted that Hamas is complying with the disarmament conditions.
“This is a great and important day. A new beginning is coming,” the American leader emphasized.
According to the agreement, the militants are also required to hand over the bodies of 26 of their dead to Israel, and Israel, in turn, will release approximately 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
