Israel’s Defence Minister, Israel Katz, has warned that military operations in Gaza will resume if Hamas fails to uphold the conditions of the ongoing US-backed ceasefire.
The warning followed Hamas’s handover of two additional bodies of deceased hostages on Wednesday. The group explained that it could not recover more remains from the debris in Gaza without specialised equipment.
Tension over ceasefire deal
Under the agreement, which was mediated by US President Donald Trump, Hamas has released 20 Israeli hostages in exchange for the freedom of about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners.
Prior to Wednesday’s transfer, the group had returned the bodies of seven of the 28 known dead hostages, along with another corpse that Israel later confirmed did not belong to a captive.
Katz’s office said in a statement: “If Hamas refuses to comply with the agreement, Israel, in coordination with the United States, will resume fighting and act to achieve a total defeat of Hamas, to change the reality in Gaza and achieve all the objectives of the war.”
In response, Hamas’s armed wing, the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades, said it had fulfilled its commitments by releasing all living captives and the bodies it could retrieve.
“The remaining corpses require special equipment and major efforts to recover,” it stated, adding that efforts were ongoing to close the matter.
The situation has increased pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as hardline ministers push for stricter conditions on humanitarian aid.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has warned that Israel could halt aid deliveries to Gaza if Hamas fails to return the bodies of Israeli soldiers still held there.
Humanitarian concerns grow
Meanwhile, Israel has handed over 45 more Palestinian bodies to Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza, raising the total number transferred to 90, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry.
The ceasefire deal stipulates that Israel should return 15 Palestinian bodies for each Israeli hostage confirmed dead.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher called on Israel to open all crossings into Gaza without delay. Speaking to AFP in Cairo, he said, “It should happen now. We want it to happen immediately as part of this agreement.”
Fletcher is scheduled to visit the Rafah crossing on Thursday, the only passage linking Gaza to the outside world that does not pass through Israel.
Although Israeli media earlier reported that Rafah would reopen, this had not occurred by Wednesday evening.
“The test is that we have children fed, that we have anaesthetics in hospitals for those receiving treatment, and that people have tents over their heads,” Fletcher added.
Reports of violations
Despite the truce, Gaza’s civil defence agency reported that three Palestinians were killed by Israeli fire on Wednesday, including two who were attempting to reach their homes in Gaza City’s Shujaiya district.
The Israeli army claimed that “several suspects were identified crossing the yellow line and approaching” its troops, describing the move as a breach of the ceasefire.
“Troops removed the threat by striking the suspects,” a military spokesperson said.
The conflict, which began after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, has devastated Gaza and caused widespread humanitarian suffering.
The United Nations declared a famine in the enclave in August, a claim Israel dismissed.
The US-backed 20-point Gaza plan also includes the restoration of aid and the disarmament of Hamas – a condition the group continues to reject, insisting on maintaining its control over the war-torn territory.