Hamas claims it has handed over all the remains of hostages it could reach

(Patria) - Hamas said yesterday it had returned the remains of all deceased hostages it could reach, while the Israeli military said the Red Cross had received two more bodies in Gaza, reported AFP.

Since Monday, under a ceasefire agreement brokered by US President Donald Trump, Hamas has returned twenty surviving hostages to Israel in exchange for nearly 2,000 Palestinians released from Israeli prisons.

Before the two bodies were handed over late last night, Hamas had returned the remains of seven of the 28 known deceased hostages, along with an eighth body which Israel says is not a former hostage.

Late last night, the armed wing of the Palestinian movement said it had transferred all the bodies it could find and that it would need specialized equipment to extract remains from the rubble of Gaza.

"The resistance has fulfilled its obligation under the agreement by handing over all living Israeli prisoners in its custody, as well as the corpses it could access," the Ezzedine Al-Qassam Brigades said in a statement on social media.

"As for the remaining corpses, extensive efforts and special equipment are needed to find and extract them. We are making great efforts to close this file," it added.

The announcement came after the Israeli military said that "two coffins with deceased hostages" had been handed over to the Red Cross and were on their way to Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip.

"Hamas is obliged to adhere to the agreement and take the necessary steps for the return of all hostages," a joint statement from the Israeli military and security agency said.

There is now domestic pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to link aid to the fate of the bodies.

Israeli far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir threatened to cut off aid deliveries to Gaza if Hamas does not return the remains of soldiers still held in the territory.