Israel Freezes Rafah Crossing Reopening, Accuses Hamas of Violating Ceasefire Deal by Withholding Hostage Bodies

by Emmitt Barry, with reporting from Worthy News Jerusalem Bureau Staff

JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Israel announced Tuesday it would not reopen the Rafah border crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt as planned under the ceasefire agreement, accusing Hamas of failing to fulfill its obligation to return the bodies of all slain hostages still held in Gaza.

Israeli officials said the move comes amid “clear violations” of the deal and growing anger among the families of hostages, who demanded that the ceasefire’s implementation be halted until all remains are returned. Israel also said it will scale back humanitarian aid entering Gaza as part of new sanctions against the terror group.

Defense officials told Israeli media that Hamas has made “no significant effort” to locate and return the remaining 24 bodies of Israeli hostages believed to be held or buried in Gaza.

Red Cross: Recovery May Take ‘Much More Time’

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) warned Tuesday that retrieving the remaining bodies could take weeks or even months due to the situation on the ground.

“That’s an even bigger challenge than having the people alive being released,” said ICRC spokesman Christian Cardon. “There is clearly a risk that it will take much more time. We are urging all parties to make that their top priority.”

His comments came as the Israel Defense Forces confirmed that forensic experts had identified four slain hostages whose remains were handed over by Hamas on Monday night: Israeli nationals Guy Illouz, 26, Yossi Sharabi, 53, and Cpt. Daniel Perez, 22, as well as Nepalese student Bipin Joshi, 23.

Hamas had pledged to return all bodies within 72 hours of Israel’s military withdrawal, but the group claimed it was unable to locate several remains.

Israel Vows ‘Pressure Will Persist’

Israel’s hostage envoy, Gal Hirsch, said the government was “completely determined and committed not to stop until all the fallen hostages are located and returned home.”

Hirsch said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu raised the issue with U.S. President Donald Trump during his visit to Jerusalem on Monday, and again at the Sharm el-Sheikh peace summit co-chaired by Trump and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi.

At the summit, Trump said Hamas “knows where many of the slain hostages are located” and was “working in conjunction with Israel” to find them. El-Sissi pledged to ensure the full implementation of the Gaza ceasefire, including the recovery of all deceased hostages.

Families and Forum Demand Halt to Ceasefire Implementation

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum accused both Hamas and the Israeli government of “betraying Jewish morality” by allowing the agreement to proceed while bodies remain unreturned.

“Only four deceased hostages are coming home today. How can we accept that the others remain behind?” the families wrote in a letter to U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, who helped broker the deal. “We must ensure that all remaining hostages come home. We cannot rest until every last hostage is returned.”

Defense Officials Warn of Ceasefire Breakdown

Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that Hamas’s failure to meet its commitments constitutes a “blatant violation” of the agreement.

“Any delay or deliberate avoidance will be met accordingly,” Katz wrote on social media. “The urgent mission we are all committed to now is to ensure the return of all the fallen hostages home.”

Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, an IDF spokesman, reiterated that Israel “will not rest until all are returned to their families and to burial in Israel.”

Kibbutz Be’eri, one of the hardest-hit communities during the October 7, 2023, massacre, said Hamas’s defiance “cannot be ignored” and called on the government to respond “immediately and decisively.”

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