The Red Cross was seen scouring the Gaza Strip on Sunday in an attempt to help Hamas locate the remains of some of the 13 hostages still buried under rubble. The development comes one day after President Donald Trump accused Hamas of failing to return all of the bodies while acknowledging that some are “hard to reach.”
Red Cross joins hostage recovery efforts
Qatar’s Al Arabiya news outlet was the first to report Sunday that Red Cross personnel, working alongside an Egyptian team and members of Hamas, were searching for the remains of hostages in the southern Gaza region of Rafah. The search area lies beyond the “Yellow Line” that separates the Israel Defense Forces’ withdrawal position agreed to in the ceasefire.
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In a statement published by The Times of Israel, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said it is “currently operating in Gaza as a neutral intermediary, at the request of the parties, to facilitate the return of the remains of hostages who are no longer alive, in accordance with the ceasefire agreement.” The organization declined to comment further, citing the “safety of those involved.”
The Times of Israel also notes that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved the search, signaling a reversal from previous policies that barred such groups from aiding Hamas in any way.
Trump accuses Hamas of failing to return bodies
Sunday’s development comes one day after Trump accused Hamas of willingly refusing to return the bodies of the remaining hostages in its captivity. In a post to Truth Social, the U.S. president acknowledged that some remains are “hard to reach,” but added that others can be returned “now.”
“Hamas is going to have to start returning the bodies of the deceased hostages, including two Americans, quickly, or the other Countries involved in this GREAT PEACE will take action,” Trump wrote. “Some of the bodies are hard to reach, but others they can return now and, for some reason, they are not. Perhaps it has to do with their disarming, but when I said, ‘Both sides would be treated fairly,’ that only applies if they comply with their obligations.”
As part of the initial phase of the current ceasefire agreement, Hamas returned the 20 living hostages in its captivity to Israel. The bodies of another 15 hostages have also since been returned, while 13 are still missing.
Ceasefire’s fragility holds
Hamas has maintained that returning all of the remains would take time, as they are buried under rubble amid Gaza’s widespread destruction. Netanyahu, meanwhile, has accused the group of being able to return all of the bodies but refusing to do so.
Netanyahu has also threatened to cut off aid to Gaza if all of the hostages are not returned in a timely manner. Both the unencumbered flow of aid and the return of hostages are required under the ceasefire agreement.
Israeli media reports that a U.S. official said Trump views any threat to the flow of aid as a “red line,” and shot down Israel’s initial plans to block humanitarian assistance, fearing it would shatter the fragile truce.
Two hundred and fifty-one Israelis were taken hostage when Hamas launched its surprise attack on the country on Oct. 7, 2023. Another 1,200 Israelis –– mostly civilians –– were killed.
Since then, the Israeli military has killed more than 68,500 Palestinians in Gaza. The enclave’s health ministry does not distinguish between combatants and civilians; however, reports suggest the death toll is overwhelmingly made up of civilians, including nearly one-third who are under the age of 18.
