Israel is claiming that Hamas staged the recovery of a hostage's body in Gaza, alleging that the militant group is manipulating the process for political gain and further straining a fragile ceasefire. Israeli officials released drone footage they say shows Hamas burying the body of Ofir Tzarfati, a 27-year-old hostage, then exhuming it later in front of Red Cross workers, reports the Wall Street Journal. The AP describes the nearly 15-minute video, which "shows a white body bag being thrown out of a damaged building into a dug-out area. Three masked men are seen burying the body bag before heavy machinery moves it to a nearby area, where it is buried for a second time. The men then dig it out before photos are taken of the body bag," with people sporting red vests watching on the side.
The New York Times reports that the video released by the IDF was shot in Gaza City's Tuffah neighborhood, apparently sometime Monday or Tuesday, per satellite imagery showing dirt removal. The Red Cross criticized Hamas for the apparent ruse, calling it "unacceptable" and warning that such actions undermine an already tenuous truce, per the Journal. Hamas insists it's following the ceasefire agreement and accused Israel of fabricating the incident to justify renewed military action.
Tensions escalated after Israel reported launching strikes on Hamas targets in response to the death of an Israeli soldier, with Gaza health officials claiming more than 100 fatalities, including children. Israel said it briefly resumed the ceasefire but later acknowledged further strikes in northern Gaza. Israeli officials allege that Hamas is deliberately delaying the return of hostages' bodies as a tactic to buy time and consolidate control in Gaza without overtly violating the truce.
story continues below
Since the ceasefire, Hamas has been accused of coming down hard on local rivals and slowing the pace of body returns—a process that remains a point of intense emotional and political pressure in Israel. The ceasefire deal, brokered with US support, mandates that Hamas cooperate in recovering hostages' bodies, but it doesn't set a clear deadline. So far, Hamas has returned 15 bodies out of 28 believed to remain in Gaza, but only four were delivered on the first day of the exchange, fueling public anger in Israel. The search effort, led by an Egyptian team, faces logistical hurdles and suspicions that Hamas is reluctant to expose tunnels and other hidden infrastructure.
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
