JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israel is insisting that it will not move to the second phase of the deal with Hamas before the two remaining bodies of the hostages in the Gaza Strip are returned.
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Palestinian sources told the Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper in recent days that they are facing difficulties in locating the remaining bodies due to the elimination of the terrorists who abducted the victims, as well as because of Israeli operations in the areas where the bodies are believed to be located.
Sources in Hamas who took part in the negotiation process say that their leadership feels that the mediators are unable to persuade Israel to comply with the terms of the agreement and implement it.
Sources familiar with the behind-the-scenes details told Asharq Al-Awsat that “Israel is acting according to its whims, in a way that makes everyone,including the mediators, feel that it not beholden to others and cannot be subject to anything. The pace of escalation is increasing through daily and intensified violations of the ceasefire, without any real deterrence.”
Sources in Hamas and in the other terror organizations claimed to the Saudi newspaper that the patience of the organizations in Gaza is running out in light of Israel’s violations, “but there is consensus among the leadership at all levels, and among their supporters, that they are unable to respond militarily and that a comprehensive and effective diplomatic solution is needed, through steps to be taken by the mediators and other parties in order to advance the implementation of the ceasefire agreement.”
In response to a question directed to those sources, some of them leaders, regarding whether the various terror organizations, especially Hamas, fear or are unable to carry out attacks against Israel from the Gaza Strip, the sources said that “there is agreement on the need to prevent the Strip from returning to war, and that the current Israeli strikes, carried out from time to time, can be tolerated, in addition to much greater patience toward the daily violations, in order to prevent a return to war, since the price would then be far greater. But this does not mean surrender, or that Gaza should be an open battlefield for Israel to kill whenever and however it wishes.”
In other regional developments, during the course of Saturday night, four terrorists were identified as having emerged from an underground tunnel route in the Rafah region. IDF forces, directed by the Air Force, eliminated them. Israel believes that the terrorists eliminated were senior commanders, possibly including the battalion commander of the Rafah region.
Dozens of terrorists have now emerged from the tunnels in the Al-Janina neighborhood, which is behind Israeli lines and cut off from Hamas positions. Most of them have been eliminated, and a few surrendered and were taken alive for interrogation.
“IDF forces under the Southern Command are deployed in the area in accordance with the agreement and will continue to operate to remove any immediate threat,” the IDF Spokesperson said.
I feel terrible for that one body that sadly doesn’t have kevuras Yisroel and his family doesn’t have closure. But that’s hardly a bargaining trick for hamas.
I agree with Educated Archy. Very unfortunate for any Jew that is left without kever Yisroel BUT Israel should finish the job. No “if’s ands or but’s”
It will be much easier to search for the bodies once the terrosrists are all dead!
they are such magnificent liars! but the delay in returning the last hostages, it’s been more than “72 hours”, was predictable, and now israel must find a way to “encourage” hamas to keep their word.