Al-Qassam Hands Over “Israeli” Captive’s Body to Red Cross

By Staff, Agencies

The "Israeli" occupation forces [IOF] announced that the International Committee of the Red Cross [ICRC] has received the body of an "Israeli" captive in the Gaza Strip.

The body is currently being transferred to an IOF unit stationed inside the Strip.

The handover was carried out by the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, as part of the ongoing captive exchange deal.

The Brigades had previously stated that the body of the "Israeli" captive, which was exhumed in Gaza, would be handed over at 11 p.m. Gaza time on Friday. The move is one of several coordinated under the terms of the current exchange agreement.

Hamas remains committed to the Gaza ceasefire agreement, despite the continuous violations by the "Israeli" occupation, said Hamas Political Bureau Member Ghazi Hamad on Friday, noting that the Palestinian Resistance movement is fulfilling its commitments and is focused on concluding the initial phase of the deal as planned.

Hamad asserted that the occupation is threatening to use force, which is "typical of it," pointing out that its failure to achieve its objectives in the Gaza Strip explains its "savage behavior".

Regarding the issue of the captives' bodies, the senior Hamas official stated that it is a complex matter due to the altered landscape of Gaza and the destruction of numerous sites, which makes recovering the remaining bodies a process that requires both time and specialized equipment and machinery.

He said that the mediators have been informed of these obstacles and have "understood our position."