Aid trucks began entering Gaza on Wednesday after Hamas returned additional bodies of dead hostages. Israel threatened to shut down the border and suspend aid due to Hamas’s delaying the return of the bodies. These strained relations threatened the peace agreement. The peace agreement ended two years of war in Gaza and returned all living hostages home.
Hamas turned back several Israeli corpses overnight and two additional coffins later on Wednesday. Israel subsequently announced that it would open the Rafah border crossing for use by people from Gaza. Authorities also announced 600 aid vehicles would make it into Gaza. President Donald Trump threatened to allow Israeli troops to resume fighting if Hamas is not living up to its commitments in the peace agreement.
Issues with Returning Bodies
Hamas returned four bodies on Monday that were identified as dead hostages. They returned four more bodies late Tuesday, but one of those, Israel said, was not a hostage. Two more coffins were taken Wednesday night by the Red Cross to Israeli soldiers in north Gaza. The bodies will be examined to verify who they belong to.
It is more difficult than anticipated to locate the bodies, a high-ranking U.S. official said. The majority of the bodies are under rubble. Hamas indicated it would do its best to locate and recover all the remains. Authorities are considering providing rewards to individuals in Gaza who can assist with locating the bodies. 21 hostage bodies remain in Gaza that must be located.
What’s Next in the Peace Agreement
The battle for the return of bodies may still shatter the peace agreement. There are some major issues that have not been addressed yet. According to Israel, the next stage of the peace agreement is that Hamas needs to abandon its weapons and give up ruling Gaza. Hamas has not done this. Instead, Hamas has been demonstrating its authority in Gaza by performing public killings and clashing with local family groups.
Nobody knows yet what the future holds in terms of running Gaza. Plans are being discussed to bring soldiers from other countries in to maintain peace. There are also plans for the building of a Palestinian state. But none of those plans are yet finalised. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz instructed his staff to draw up a plan to totally crush Hamas if hostilities resume.
Aid Entering and Border Opening
The war levelled most of Gaza. Nearly every person who lived there had to abandon their homes. There is very little food, and people are starving. Hospitals cannot accommodate all the sick and injured. One man in Gaza City reported that his neighbourhood has no houses at all. People are residing in tents and makeshift shelters.
Trucks were seen rolling from Egypt into the Rafah crossing early Wednesday morning. Some had fuel, and others had supplies of aid. But it was unclear whether these trucks would actually reach all the way into Gaza as part of the 600 planned for Wednesday. The peace accord provides that 600 trucks must enter Gaza daily. Thursday, the Rafah crossing will open for people to pass through, with European Union employees there to assist. The Palestinian Authority, worried about running the regions of the West Bank, stated that it is worried about running the crossing
News At Glance
- Trucks carrying aid entered Gaza on Wednesday after Hamas repatriated additional bodies of dead hostages to Israel
- Hamas has returned a number of bodies, but 21 bodies of hostages are still located in Gaza under debris
- President Trump warned that Israel may return to fighting if Hamas violates the peace deal
- The peace agreement needs 600 aid trucks to enter Gaza every day, but key problems still persist
- Hamas has not accepted surrendering arms and has been killing individuals it blames for cooperating with Israel
FAQ
1. How many hostage bodies has Hamas repatriated?
Hamas has repatriated a number of bodies during the week, but there are still 21 bodies trapped in Gaza.
2. Why was Israel threatening to suspend aid?
Israel complained that Hamas was taking too much time to send back the bodies of deceased hostages.
3. What did President Trump say regarding the peace deal?
President Trump indicated that he would allow Israel to continue fighting if Hamas fails to uphold its commitments.
4. How much aid should flow into Gaza?
The peace agreement demands that 600 trucks of aid flow into Gaza daily.
5. What is the primary disagreement within the peace deal?
Israel would like Hamas to abandon weapons and cease to rule Gaza, but Hamas hasn’t.
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