Israel rules out returning Hamas leader's body in Gaza ceasefire deal

Israel has confirmed that it will not return the body of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar as part of a potential ceasefire deal in Gaza or a hostage exchange agreement.

Sources have confirmed the Israeli government's stance, despite prior reports suggesting that the Palestinian side had demanded the return of Sinwar's body in the first phase of a ceasefire agreement, Caliber.Az reports via Israeli media.

Earlier, Al-Arabiya had reported that the Palestinian delegation was insisting on the return of Sinwar's body as part of a broader negotiation framework.

On 13 January, following consultations in Doha, Qatar presented the final draft of the agreement to both parties. The proposal outlines a three-phase deal, which includes the release of hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, a ceasefire, and discussions regarding a new governance system for the Gaza Strip.

Media outlets speculated that the deal could be signed before the inauguration of US President-elect Donald Trump on January 20. According to Al-Arabiya, Hamas did not raise any objections to the draft agreement.

Sinwar, who had been the head of Hamas in Gaza since 2017, took over leadership after the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. He was killed during an Israeli operation on October 16, 2024.

Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported on 13 January that Hamas militants have rejected collective leadership and are operating autonomously, now answering to Sinwar's younger brother, Mohammed Sinwar.

By Aghakazim Guliyev