Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement "cannot continue" unless all bodies returned, say hostage families
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum has said the Gaza peace agreement "cannot continue to be implemented without Hamas returning all the hostages".
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum, a civil volunteer-based organisation focused on the safe return of Israeli hostages, say peace cannot be achieved unless all bodies are returned by Hamas.
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The Forum has said that the responsibility to bring every hostage home rests with the Israeli government, "but it is also shared by the international community and the mediating parties who helped shape this deal".
Hamas said yesterday that it had returned all the bodies that it could reach, which is nine of the remaining 28 bodies, according to Israel.
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Hamas claims it needs extra equipment to return all the remaining bodies but Israel has repeatedly accused them of deliberately slowing down the release of the remaining deceased hostages.
The forum said in their statement: "While Hamas continues to violate the agreement and still holds 19 hostages captive, there is no justification for any unilateral concessions by Israel.
"The agreement cannot continue to be implemented without Hamas returning all the hostages."
Israel's foreign minister, Gideon Sa'ar, added to claims that Hamas is dragging out the release of the remaining dead hostages "We know as a matter of fact they can easily give a significant number of dead hostages back according to the agreement."
Due to the perceived deliberate delays to the returning of the bodies under the ceasefire agreement, Israel has kept a key Gaza access point closed today, though is preparing to open it on Sunday.