AhlulBayt News Agency: The Hamas Movement has firmly rejected accusations by the Israeli occupation that claim the resistance is delaying the search and recovery of Israeli soldiers’ bodies in Gaza.
Hamas described these claims as “completely baseless,” asserting that they are meant to mislead public opinion and create false justifications for renewed aggression against Palestinians, in violation of the ceasefire agreement.
The Movement further emphasized that Israel is deliberately obstructing humanitarian operations. It has prevented joint teams from the International Committee of the Red Cross and Palestinian resistance from accessing several areas in Gaza and has blocked the entry of heavy machinery needed for recovery efforts.
Hamas also pointed out that Israel is hindering the retrieval of Palestinian martyrs’ bodies still buried under rubble, intensifying the grief of their families. The Movement warned that such actions will only heighten tensions and worsen Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.
Hamas called on international mediators and guarantors to exert immediate pressure on Israel to allow humanitarian teams to carry out their duties without political interference.
On Monday evening, Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem stated that the Movement has already handed over 18 bodies of Israeli captives. He noted that limited field resources continue to delay the recovery of the remaining bodies.
Qassem strongly refuted media reports from Israeli outlets suggesting that Hamas knows the locations of all the bodies but refuses to return them. He labeled these claims as “false and deceptive,” especially in light of the destruction caused by ongoing Israeli attacks.
The spokesperson reaffirmed Hamas’s commitment to handing over 13 more bodies currently in Gaza, including 10 Israeli soldiers captured on October 7, 2023, one Israeli missing since 2014, and two foreign workers—one Thai and one Tanzanian.
This position is consistent with the ceasefire agreement signed on October 10, 2025, brokered by the United States, Qatar, and Egypt. The deal includes Hamas’s release of 20 captives and the transfer of 18 bodies out of 28 declared dead by Israel. Hamas reiterated its pledge to deliver the remaining bodies at a later stage.
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