Hamas reaffirms its commitment to Gaza ceasefire
Following a request from Hamas for assistance in locating 19 hostages buried under debris alongside an unknown number of Palestinians, Turkey dispatched disaster relief specialists to aid the search.
Under the US-brokered deal spearheaded by President Donald Trump, Hamas released 20 surviving hostages and handed over the remains of nine out of 28 known deceased hostages, as well as another body which Israel reported was not a former hostage. In return, Israel freed nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and halted its military campaign in Gaza that began after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed on Thursday his commitment to "secure the return of all hostages," after the defence minister warned that the military "will resume fighting" if Hamas fails to comply. Later the same day, Hamas reiterated its dedication to the agreement, noting that it “may require some time, as some of these corpses were buried in tunnels destroyed by the occupation, while others remain under the rubble of buildings it bombed and demolished.”
Despite Turkey’s deployment of dozens of specialists, families of the Israeli dead have expressed frustration over Hamas’s delays. A leading advocacy group for hostages’ families urged that Israel "immediately halt the implementation of any further stages of the agreement as long as Hamas continues to blatantly violate its obligations."
Trump, meanwhile, called for patience regarding the bodies’ return, noting that Hamas was "actually digging" for the remains. Yet he also expressed frustration with the militant group, stating:
"If Hamas continues to kill people in Gaza, which was not the Deal, we will have no choice but to go in and kill them." His remarks appeared to reference recent killings of Palestinian civilians since the ceasefire took effect.
Since Israel’s partial withdrawal under the ceasefire, Hamas has tightened control over Gaza’s destroyed cities, launching crackdowns and executing alleged collaborators. Clashes have also occurred between Hamas security units and armed Palestinian clans, some reportedly backed by Israel.
The ceasefire has paused the war, bringing a temporary reprieve to hostage families and Gazans enduring constant bombardment and food shortages. Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza envisions Hamas disarmament, offering amnesty to leaders who relinquish weapons, and establishing post-war governance, along with renewed international aid.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said preparations are underway for the Rafah crossing in southern Gaza, expressing hope it would reopen on Sunday, though Israel clarified it would initially allow people, not aid, to pass.
The humanitarian situation remains dire. The UN declared a famine in August, and the World Health Organization warned that infectious diseases are “spiralling out of control,” with only 13 out of 36 hospitals partially functioning. Hanan Balkhy, WHO regional director, described the situation:
"Whether meningitis... diarrhoea, respiratory illnesses, we're talking about a mammoth amount of work."
For families of the freed hostages, there was relief and joy. Sylvia Cunio, mother of Ariel and David Cunio, expressed her emotion:
"My children are home! Two years ago, one morning, I lost half of my family."
Meanwhile, Israel returned the bodies of 30 Palestinians to Gaza on Thursday, following the deal which stipulates that 15 Palestinian bodies are returned for every deceased Israeli.
Despite the cessation of hostilities, recovery in Gaza remains daunting. Mustafa Mahram, who returned to Gaza City, described the devastation:
"There's no water -- no clean water, not even salty water, no water at all. No essentials of life exist -- no food, no drink, nothing. As you can see, all that's left is rubble."
The war has claimed at least 67,967 lives in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, with more than half reportedly women and children, according to UN assessments.
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