Overview
- Under the U.S.-brokered plan, Hamas was to hand over all captives alive and dead within 72 hours; 20 living hostages were freed, but only 9 of 28 bodies have been returned.
- Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Israel will resume combat in coordination with the United States if obligations are not met, and President Donald Trump signaled he would authorize a return to operations.
- Hamas reaffirmed it will deliver the remaining bodies, saying many are under rubble or in destroyed tunnels and that specialized heavy equipment is required to find them.
- Turkey has positioned roughly 80–81 AFAD specialists with search gear at the Egypt–Gaza border to help exhume bodies and is awaiting Israeli authorization to enter.
- Families of hostages urged Israel to halt further steps in the peace plan until all remains are returned, as the IDF identified two repatriated victims and the UN and aid agencies pressed for wider access with Rafah still largely closed.