War between Israel and HamasIsrael has recovered the bodies of six hostages in the Khan Younis area of southern Gaza, the military said Tuesday, amid ongoing negotiations to establish a ceasefire and rescue more than 100 hostages from the besieged Palestinian territory. With the return of the six bodies, at least 109 hostages are believed to remain in Gaza, a third of whom are believed to be dead while the fate of the others remains unknown.
The military said its forces recovered the bodies in an overnight operation in southern Gaza, without saying when or how the six died. Hamas says some captives have been killed or wounded in Israeli airstrikes. The recovery is believed to be a blow to Hamas, which is hoping for an imminent ceasefire to exchange hostages for Palestinian prisoners and an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said the bodies of Yagev Buchshtab, Alexander Dancyg, Abraham Munder, Yoram Metzger, Nadav Popplewell and Chaim Peri were recovered from tunnels beneath Khan Younis in southern Gaza after a “complex operation.” “We will continue to work to achieve the goals of this war: returning the hostages to Israel and dismantling Hamas,” he said in a statement.
What will be the impact on ceasefire negotiations?
The recovery came as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was scheduled to meet with officials in Egypt as part of his visit to the region aimed at overcoming differences between Israel and Hamas over a deal to end fighting in Gaza and return the hostages. The recovery of the six bodies is likely to increase pressure on Israel’s government to reach a deal to release dozens of hostages believed to still be alive.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the recovery effort, saying: “Our hearts are heavy with grief over the terrible loss… The State of Israel will continue to make every effort to return all our hostages, both living and dead.” He also praised the military and commanders for their “heroism and determined action.”
Meanwhile, the Hostages Families Forum, an organisation representing most of the hostage families, welcomed the news but renewed its call for the government to conclude a deal with Hamas on the release of the hostages. “The immediate return of the remaining 109 hostages can only be achieved through a negotiated agreement. The Israeli government, with the help of mediators, must do everything in its power to realise the agreement that is currently on the table,” it said.
Israel accepts US ceasefire proposal
On Monday, Blinken said Israel had accepted the U.S.-backed proposal for a ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza, and also called on Hamas to do the same. He did not say, however, whether he had addressed concerns raised by the militant group. His comments came after a two-and-a-half-hour meeting with Netanyahu.
Hamas has accused the US of agreeing to Israeli demands and trying to impose them on the militant group. There appear to still be major differences between the two sides, including Israel’s demand for lasting control over two strategic corridors in Gaza, which Hamas has rejected. Blinken had earlier said that now is the time to conclude a ceasefire deal in Gaza that would return hostages held by Hamas and alleviate Palestinian suffering after more than 10 months of a devastating war in Gaza.
He said there were still “complex issues” that required “difficult decisions by leaders,” without offering details. Talks in Qatar last week broke down without making any progress, but negotiations are expected to resume this week on the basis of the U.S. proposal to build bridges between Israel and Hamas. But with the Palestinian Islamist group announcing a resumption of suicide bombings inside Israel after many years, and doctors saying Israeli military strikes killed at least 30 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Monday, there is little sign of conciliation on the ground.
(with contributions from agencies)
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