Hamas says it cannot recover hostages’ bodies without special equipment

Hamas has said that retrieving the remaining bodies of Israeli hostages from Gaza could take time due to a lack of specialised equipment.

The group stated that some of the bodies are located in tunnels destroyed by Israel or beneath the rubble of buildings damaged in Israeli airstrikes, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media. 

Hamas claimed that special equipment is required to remove the debris, but that such tools are currently unavailable because Israel has banned their import into Gaza.

The organisation reiterated its commitment to the existing agreement on the return of the bodies and said it remains ready to hand over all remaining remains, blaming Israel for the delay.

Hamas has returned all 20 remaining living Israeli hostages under a ceasefire deal, marking a major step in efforts to end two years of conflict and captivity in Gaza. The hostages were handed over to the International Committee of the Red Cross and transferred to Israel earlier this week.

The release formed part of a wider agreement that also saw Israel free nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and detainees. It followed months of indirect negotiations brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and the United States. Israeli authorities confirmed that the released hostages were undergoing medical evaluations and reunions with their families.

However, the process of returning the bodies of deceased hostages remains fraught with difficulties. Reuters reported that Hamas has so far handed over eight coffins believed to contain the remains of Israelis who died in captivity or during Israeli bombardments. The International Committee of the Red Cross warned that recovering additional bodies could take time due to the extensive destruction and collapsed tunnels across Gaza.

Hamas officials said several of the bodies were trapped beneath rubble in areas heavily targeted by Israeli strikes. Israel, meanwhile, has accused the group of delaying returns and providing misidentified remains, with one coffin reportedly found not to match any known hostage.

By Aghakazim Guliyev