Hamas Could Return 10 Bodies but Is Stalling To Avoid Disarming, Israeli Official Says By The Media Line Staff Israeli defense officials told US Vice President JD Vance during a meeting in Tel Aviv on Thursday that Hamas is capable of returning the bodies of at least 10 of the 13 deceased hostages still held […]
Health
The Media Line: Hamas Could Return 10 Bodies but Is Stalling To Avoid Disarming, Israeli Official Says
Audio By Carbonatix
Hamas Could Return 10 Bodies but Is Stalling To Avoid Disarming, Israeli Official Says
By The Media Line Staff
Israeli defense officials told US Vice President JD Vance during a meeting in Tel Aviv on Thursday that Hamas is capable of returning the bodies of at least 10 of the 13 deceased hostages still held in Gaza, but is deliberately delaying to prolong the ceasefire and avoid disarming.
“They’re stalling and using the pause to buy time instead of moving to the next stage, which requires them to disarm,” an Israeli official said. The source added that Israel has repeatedly pressed the issue with Washington, which “understands our position,” particularly since two of the victims—Capt. Omer Neutra and Staff Sgt. Itay Chen—were dual US-Israeli citizens.
According to the Kan public broadcaster, Defense Minister Israel Katz, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, and other senior officials briefed Vance at the Kirya military headquarters on the army’s assessment of the situation in Gaza. They “stated unequivocally” that Hamas can return at least 10 of the 13 remaining hostages’ bodies even before international recovery teams enter the enclave.
Before the current truce, Hamas was holding the bodies of 28 Israelis killed during or after the October 7 attacks. The group has since returned 15, alongside 20 surviving hostages, most recently handing over the remains of two victims on Tuesday night. Israeli officials say Jerusalem considers Hamas in violation of the ceasefire by spacing out the returns rather than completing them at once.
Hamas claims its delays stem from the difficulty of locating remains amid the devastation in Gaza, citing logistical barriers to recovery efforts. Israeli families of the fallen reject that explanation, accusing the group of manipulating their grief for political leverage.
Officials familiar with the discussions noted that while some bodies may never be recovered, Hamas’s continued withholding of known remains has further strained the ceasefire and deepened the anguish of bereaved families still awaiting closure.