Al-Qassam Recovers Bodies of Israeli Captives, Netanyahu’s Strikes Block Handover
Al-Qassam Brigades announced the recovery of two Israeli captives’ bodies during tunnel operations in Gaza, said Netanyahu’s renewed airstrikes have obstructed the planned handover to the Red Cros
Palestine, PUREWILAYAH.COM — The Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, announced on Tuesday the recovery of the bodies of two Israeli captives, Amiram Cooper and Saher Baruch, during field search operations in the Gaza Strip.
According to a statement released by the Brigades, fighters located the bodies during tunnel operations in southern Gaza and prepared them for handover to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Gaza City.
Images circulating online showed Al-Qassam fighters transferring the remains to Red Cross representatives.
Occupation Escalations Delay Handover
In a statement issued later Tuesday evening, the Al-Qassam Brigades said that it had planned to hand over the body of one captive that night but was forced to postpone the process due to “violations committed by the Israeli occupation.”
The group stressed that the continued Israeli military escalation across the Gaza Strip is severely obstructing search, excavation, and recovery operations for the bodies of Israeli captives.
“Any Israeli escalation will delay the recovery of more bodies,” the Brigades warned, holding the occupation responsible for hindering ongoing humanitarian efforts.
The statement marks the latest update in a series of developments concerning the fate of Israeli captives held in Gaza since the beginning of the war.
Expert: “Israel” Responsible for Hindering Captive Recovery
Palestinian resistance affairs analyst Hani al-Dali said that Tuesday’s Israeli airstrikes on Gaza reflect Tel Aviv’s intent to prolong the conflict for political and military purposes.
Al-Dali stated that the continuation of the war serves Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who “seeks to continue his policy of blackmail and to prove that the occupation still maintains security and military control over the Gaza Strip.”
He explained that several obstacles are preventing the recovery of Israeli captives’ bodies in the Strip.
The first, he noted, is that four of the bodies have “completely evaporated.” The second obstacle involves the presence of some bodies within the so-called “yellow line” — areas under Israeli control that require occupation approval for access.
The third, al-Dali added, concerns captives buried deep inside tunnels, which require heavy machinery to retrieve — equipment currently blocked from entering Gaza by Israeli authorities.
Al-Qassam: Recovery Efforts Continue Despite Challenges
The Al-Qassam Brigades affirmed their continued efforts to locate and recover the bodies of all deceased captives despite the risks posed by Israeli bombardment and the lack of humanitarian coordination.
The group emphasized that it is acting in accordance with the ceasefire terms and humanitarian principles, calling on mediators and international organizations to pressure the occupation to halt its attacks and allow recovery operations to proceed safely. (PW)