A Hamas spokesperson, Hazem Qassem, stated that the search for the remaining Israeli hostages continues despite difficulties and complexities. Qassem urged mediators to pressure Israel to comply with the ceasefire agreement, including reopening the Rafah crossing and advancing to the second phase of the deal. Meanwhile, he added that the Hamas delegation is currently in Cairo, negotiating with ceasefire mediators, which demonstrates their seriousness in moving to the next phase. Qassem also warned that Israeli violations could undermine the ceasefire agreement—a concern that Hamas has made clear to mediators during the Cairo talks.
According to a Hamas source, an Israeli hostage's body was recovered in the central Gaza Strip on Monday. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source told the news agency Xinhua, whose report was accessed by Agencia Noticias Argentina, that the remains were found during search operations over the past two days north of the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza. The operations involved members of the Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, along with teams from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Additionally, the source stated that the body is in the possession of the Al-Quds Brigades and is scheduled to be handed over to the ICRC, which will then transfer it to the Israeli army later the same day, though no specific time was given. Once the body is handed over, only two Israeli hostages will remain in the coastal enclave, according to Palestinian and Israeli counts.
