Red Cross, Hamas teams enter eastern Gaza to recover hostage bodies

GAZA -- Teams from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, have been permitted to enter the Shuja'iyya neighborhood in eastern Gaza to search for the bodies of Israeli hostages, according to local sources and eyewitnesses.

Israeli public radio confirmed that the government had approved the entry of Hamas members, accompanied by Red Cross teams, into the area enclosed by the "Yellow Line," where Israeli troops have since withdrawn, to search for the remains of hostages.

Under the ceasefire agreement, Hamas is obliged to hand over the remains of 28 deceased hostages in return for 360 Palestinian militants killed in the war. However, the remains of the last 11 hostages have yet to be returned.

The delayed return of hostage bodies drew criticism from Israel, but Hamas maintains that the delays stem from difficulties in locating them amid the widespread destruction and lack of proper excavation equipment.

Earlier this week, a Hamas source also accused Israel of blocking the entry of recovery teams into the Shuja'iyya neighborhood.

Meanwhile, Mahmoud Basal, spokesperson for the Civil Defense in Gaza City, told Xinhua that an Israeli aircraft bombed a group of young men who were attempting to return to their homes in the Shuja'iyya neighborhood.

Basal said one young man was killed, and several others were wounded and taken to the Baptist Hospital in Gaza City. The Israeli army did not immediately comment on the incident.

The Israel-Hamas war began on Oct 7, 2023, when a surprise attack by Hamas-led militants on southern Israel killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages. The ensuing Israeli offensive in Gaza has killed 68,865 people and injured another 170,670, according to Gaza's health authorities.

Despite the ceasefire, 236 Palestinians have been killed and 600 injured since Oct 11, the health authorities added.