In a somber yet significant step toward closure, Israel has confirmed the recovery of two additional bodies of hostages slain on October 7, 2023, thanks to relentless diplomatic pressure from President Donald Trump on Hamas to honor a fragile ceasefire deal.
The Daily Mail reported that this latest handover, facilitated by the Red Cross, occurred late on Saturday, marking a small but critical advance in a peace process marred by delays and distrust.
The saga began earlier this month when Trump brokered a landmark agreement on Monday, aiming to end the devastating Gaza conflict that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and left a humanitarian crisis in its wake.
Under the terms of Trump’s 20-point peace plan, Hamas was obligated to return all 28 bodies of deceased hostages and 20 living captives by midday last Monday.
Yet, by that deadline, only four bodies were handed over, identified as Guy Illouz, Bipin Joshi, Yossi Sharabi, and Daniel Peretz, with another four returned the next day, though one didn’t match any known hostage.
The slow trickle of returns—now totaling 12 with the latest two—has fueled frustration among Israelis, with families protesting the agonizing wait for their loved ones’ remains.
Hamas claims it has released all accessible remains, citing the need for extensive efforts and special equipment to retrieve others, but Israeli intelligence doubts all 16 remaining bodies can even be located in Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has taken a hard line, keeping the Rafah border crossing shut until Hamas fully complies, scrapping plans to reopen it on Sunday for humanitarian access.
This decision, while tough, underscores a refusal to reward partial compliance, even as it delays medical treatment and family reunions for Gazans hoping to cross into Egypt.
President Trump hasn’t minced words, blasting Hamas for dragging its feet. “THE JOB IS NOT DONE. THE DEAD HAVE NOT BEEN RETURNED, AS PROMISED!” he declared on Truth Social, signaling that half-measures won’t cut it under his watch.
His frustration is palpable, especially after reports of Hamas executing Palestinians during the ceasefire, prompting another sharp rebuke: “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,” he warned via Truth Social.
Let’s be clear: Trump’s no-nonsense approach cuts through the fog of endless negotiations, demanding accountability while progressive voices might waffle on “cultural context” for Hamas’ actions.
Amid the political chess game, the human toll is gut-wrenching, with freed living hostages reuniting with families on October 13, 2025, bearing visible scars of starvation and cruelty after two years in captivity.
Israeli officials have also had to deliver crushing news—tests on recent remains revealed one belonged to a Gazan, not a hostage, echoing an earlier mix-up with a body falsely claimed to be Shiri Bibas.
As the ceasefire teeters with 16 bodies still unaccounted for, Netanyahu’s refusal to boost aid trucks into Gaza until Hamas delivers is a stark reminder: peace isn’t a giveaway—it’s earned through kept promises, not platitudes.