Hamas Transfers Two More Bodies to Israel; Trump Warns of Renewed Fighting if Deal Is Violated

Two bodies transferred by Hamas arrived late Thursday night at the Abu Kabir Institute of Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv for identification. The militant group claimed the remains belonged to kidnapped Israelis, saying it had handed over “the bodies it managed to reach,” while noting that locating the rest “requires great efforts and special equipment.”

In a statement, Hamas said its teams were “working very hard to close this case.”

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump warned that if Hamas fails to fully comply with the terms of the hostage and ceasefire agreement, he would consider allowing Israel to resume military operations in Gaza.

U.S. Officials: Gaza Reconstruction Could Begin Soon

Senior American officials said reconstruction efforts could begin soon in areas of the Gaza Strip under full IDF control and “completely free of Hamas,” including Rafah.

“We could establish a local security force there and create a nice civilian way to live,” said one adviser, noting that Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Qatar, and Egypt had expressed willingness to contribute troops to a Gaza stabilization force. Discussions are also reportedly underway with the United Arab Emirates.

American negotiators stressed that while the return of hostages’ bodies has been delayed, they do not yet consider the delay a violation of the agreement. “If this issue is not resolved soon, that will constitute a breach,” one senior official said.

Another adviser added that Hamas “did the right thing” by releasing all 20 living hostages at once, and that the U.S. is exploring incentives — including financial compensation for Gazans who help locate remaining bodies.

Officials also confirmed that the U.S., working with Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey, has been sharing Israeli intelligence with Hamas through mediators to aid in locating the deceased hostages.

Three Hostages Identified at Abu Kabir

Between Tuesday and Wednesday, the Abu Kabir Institute identified the remains of:

• First Sergeant Tamir Nimrodi, 18, kidnapped alive from the Gaza Division base shortly before his 19th birthday;

• Uriel Baruch, 35, from Givon, kidnapped while fleeing the Nova (Nuba) party; and

• Eitan Levy, 53, from Bat Yam, abducted near Kibbutz Be’eri on October 7.

A fourth body handed over by Hamas was determined not to belong to an Israeli hostage but to a Gazan resident, according to a senior security source.

With these identifications, 21 deceased hostages remain in Hamas captivity. Israeli security officials believe that at least half of the remaining bodies are still trapped in hard-to-reach areas inside Gaza.

Mediators Cite “Difficult Terrain” in Gaza

The Hezbollah-affiliated Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar reported that mediators from Qatar, Egypt, and Turkey have been holding urgent discussions with their American counterparts about the “complex terrain conditions” complicating the recovery of the hostages’ remains.

According to these reports, several bodies are believed to be located deep underground or beneath collapsed buildings, requiring specialized equipment and extensive manpower to retrieve.

IDF: Hamas Must Fulfill Its Obligations

The IDF said the process of identifying and recovering hostages’ bodies continues and reaffirmed its commitment to returning the dead for proper burial.

“The IDF shares in the grief of the families, continues to invest all efforts in returning the deceased hostages, and is preparing to continue implementing the agreement,” the army said in a statement.
“Hamas is required to fulfill its part of the agreement and make the necessary efforts to return the deceased hostages to their families.”

Crossings and Humanitarian Aid

Despite the tense atmosphere, Israel has allowed approximately 600 humanitarian aid trucks to enter Gaza through the Kerem Shalom Crossing, in line with the ceasefire agreement.

A security source said preparations to reopen the Rafah Crossing for Gazan civilians are ongoing but incomplete. “We still need to send an advance team to the field,” the source said, adding that the crossing will remain closed for now due to identification work on the fourth body transferred by Hamas.

Ongoing Pressure on Hamas

Israeli officials continue to apply diplomatic and operational pressure on Hamas to hand over all remaining bodies.

“The process is slow and painful,” said one security official, “but every step — every return — brings closure to another grieving family.”