Hamas likely knows location of last hostage’s body – report

Hamas and Red Cross resume searches for the remains of the last hostage in Gaza amid reports that Israel believes Hamas has information regarding the body’s location.

By World Israel News Staff

The Hamas terror organization has resumed its efforts in the Gaza Strip to locate the remains of the last hostage held in Gaza, amid reports the group has promising leads regarding the body’s location.

On Sunday, Hamas and the International Committee of the Red Cross renewed their searches for the remains of Ran Gvili, the 24-year-old Israeli police officer murdered by terrorists on October 7, 2023, and the only hostage left in captivity.

According to a report by Kan Reshet Bet, Israel’s national radio broadcaster, the searches are being conducted in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City.

The report claims that Israel believes Hamas has reliable information regarding the location of Gvili’s remains.

On Saturday, Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas leader who was involved in negotiating the October ceasefire agreement, told Al Jazeera that the joint searches with the International Committee of the Red Cross would be conducted in areas never before included in the recovery efforts.

Israeli officials told Channel 12 that they are “optimistic that the matter will be resolved soon.”

On Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dispatched a delegation, headed by hostage envoy Gal Hirsch, to Egypt for talks on intensifying efforts to locate the remains of the final hostage, and negotiations with Arab mediators on the implementation of the second phase of the US-backed 20-point Gaza peace plan.

An Israeli official cited in the report said that Hamas has signaled its willingness to move forward with the peace plan.

“The mediators are signaling that Hamas is showing interest in adhering to the agreement and wants to move to the next stage, which includes disarmament and the demilitarization of the Strip. It’s either they agree, or we will dismantle them of their weapons. We will not leave in Gaza any threat to the State of Israel.”