Overview
- Israel received two additional bodies on Wednesday, bringing the total handed over to ten, but forensic checks found one was not a hostage and authorities say 19 agreed remains are still unreturned.
- Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Israel will restart operations in coordination with the United States if the terms are not met, and President Donald Trump said he would authorize renewed fighting.
- Hamas stated it has fulfilled its obligations by transferring all “reachable” remains and claimed further recoveries require special equipment and extraordinary efforts.
- Phase one of the U.S.-brokered plan advanced with the release of the last 20 living hostages and Israel freeing nearly 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, as Israel also returned 45 Palestinian bodies under the exchange formula.
- Humanitarian access remains uncertain with the Rafah crossing not reopened as planned and the UN urging Israel to allow aid flows, while reports describe Hamas security units conducting public executions and violent crackdowns in Gaza, with some footage unverified.