GAZA (The COW News Digital) Tensions have flared again in Gaza as Hamas announced a delay in handing over the bodies of Israeli hostages, citing Israel’s repeated violations of the ceasefire agreement brokered in Sharm El-Sheikh.
In an official statement, the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, said that ongoing Israeli airstrikes and ground attacks have made it impossible to safely recover and transfer the bodies of hostages. “The continued aggression by Israeli forces is directly obstructing the process of locating and returning the bodies,” the statement read.
Under the terms of the ceasefire, Hamas had agreed to return the body of one Israeli hostage as a goodwill gesture on humanitarian grounds. However, after what Hamas described as “clear violations” of the truce, including renewed bombardments in southern Gaza and the closure of the Rafah border crossing, the group said it has suspended the transfer indefinitely.
The Al-Qassam Brigades accused Israel of “sabotaging the agreement” reached last week in Egypt, warning that such actions threaten the fragile ceasefire and undermine diplomatic efforts to stabilize the region. “The repeated Israeli bombings represent a blatant breach of the Sharm El-Sheikh accord,” the group said, calling the situation “a deliberate attempt to derail peace efforts.”
The statement further emphasized that the closure of the Rafah Crossing, Gaza’s only gateway to Egypt, has worsened the humanitarian situation and restricted aid deliveries, food supplies, and medical evacuations. Hamas urged the guarantor nations of the ceasefire — including Egypt, Qatar, and the United States — to intervene immediately and pressure Israel to halt its operations and honor its commitments.
Meanwhile, Israeli defense officials have not issued a formal response but maintain that recent military operations were “targeted defensive actions” in response to rocket fire from Gaza.
Analysts warn that the latest developments could jeopardize ongoing diplomatic mediation and risk plunging the region back into full-scale conflict. The United Nations and humanitarian agencies have repeatedly stressed that both parties must uphold the truce to prevent further civilian suffering.
As the ceasefire grows increasingly fragile, the fate of the hostages — both living and deceased — remains uncertain, casting a shadow over hopes for any sustained peace in Gaza.
