In one of the first major challenges to the Gaza ceasefire plan brokered by the Trump administration, Israel claimed Hamas’ slow release of the bodies of hostages violated the plan. Israel has now told the United Nations it will respond to the alleged violation by blocking half the aid admitted into Gaza.
Beside the U.N., Israeli groups in charge of transferring aid told U.S. officials and international aid groups about the plan, according to The Associated Press.
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On Monday, Hamas returned the remaining 20 living hostages to Israel in accordance with the ceasefire. However, the militant group only returned four of the 28 bodies of the hostages who died in captivity, causing anger. According to the AP, the Hostages Family Forum called the slow release a “blatant violation of the agreement by Hamas.”
Israel said it would only allow 300 trucks to enter Gaza each day, despite the ceasefire agreement mandating 600 trucks daily. However, the agreement also stated that Hamas had to release all living and dead hostages within 72 hours of the signing, which would make Tuesday the final day to return all the remains. Hamas leadership previously said finding the bodies would take longer since many of them are buried under rubble.
Israeli officials said that an international task force would begin searching for bodies not returned by the 72-hour mark.
Response to the slowed release
Olga Cherevko, who oversees the U.N.’s Gaza humanitarian office, said the U.N. is encouraging all sides to stick to the ceasefire agreements.
“We certainly very much hope that the bodies of the hostages are handed over and that the ceasefire continues to be implemented,” she said.
President Donald Trump also spoke on the slowed release, saying Hamas needs to release the hostages, “AS PROMISED.” He also said the second phase of the plan begins “right NOW.”
Has violence in Gaza stopped?
On Tuesday, the Gaza Health Ministry said the Israeli military killed three people in the northern part of the territory. The military said they opened fire after the people did not comply with orders. An Israeli drone strike killed at least six people in southern Gaza, which Hamas said was a major violation of the ceasefire.
Israel has pulled its troops back to where they were in August, before their latest major assault. Still, many Palestinian neighborhoods remain under Israeli control. Israel has warned residents not to return to their homes there.
Will the ceasefire hold?
Despite deaths, delayed releases and stalled aid, leaders from all sides are still negotiating a permanent end to the Gaza war. However, difficult questions remain, including whether Hamas will disarm as they agreed to and who will eventually govern the territory.
Egyptian officials said that 15 Palestinian technocrats have been selected to administer Gaza, but they will still need to be approved by all sides. The U.N. estimated that it will cost at least $70 billion to rebuild Gaza.
The attack that started the war killed nearly 1,200 people, mostly civilians. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the war has killed over 67,000 Palestinians, with women and children accounting for approximately half of the deaths. While Hamas controls the health ministry and does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths, many independent experts say its figures are the most reliable estimate.
