Red Cross Assists Hamas in Search for Remains of Captives in Gaza Strip

A Red Cross official confirmed that its representatives joined Hamas officials into areas of Gaza still under IDF authority to facilitate the hunt for the remains of Israeli hostages.

Ceasefire Agreements and Hostage Bodies Handover

Under the US-brokered ceasefire, which took effect on 10 October, Hamas is required to return the bodies of all Israeli hostages as soon as possible. As a reciprocal measure, the Israeli government has consented to hand over 15 Palestinian bodies for each Israeli.

The organization has so far handed back the bodies of 15 of those taken hostage but zero in the past five days, as some of those bodies are believed to be in locations beyond the yellow line marking the temporary truce line.

ICRC Role as Neutral Intermediary

“At the request of the parties, the Red Cross joined a participant in the hostilities as the party looked for the remains of the deceased past the IDF-designated ‘yellow boundary’,” said a representative for the organization.

She added: “Those involved to the hostilities established the modalities of the mission and delegated the Red Cross to serve as a impartial mediator. We was had no part in those negotiations.”

The official additionally clarified: “Our team was did not participate in the physical hunt for the bodies nor does it engage in the retrieval of remains.”

International Humanitarian Law and Duties

According to international humanitarian law, it is the duty of the parties involved in a hostilities to search for, gather, and retrieve the bodies of the deceased.

American Demand and Local Recovery Operations

Recently, the US president issued a two-day ultimatum to the organization. “They is going to have to start handing over the remains of the deceased hostages, including American citizens, promptly, or the other countries involved in this great peace will intervene,” he wrote on his online channel.

As the 48-hour deadline neared, Hamas, joined by the Red Cross, joined Egyptian teams, who were authorised by Israeli authorities to search for bodies beyond the line marking the withdrawal of troops inside the territory. An Israeli spokesperson said the delegation would use excavator machines and vehicles in the search.

Official Verification and Media Coverage

The news was supported by an unnamed Israeli official, who told local press that members of the group had been allowed to enter areas of Gaza under military authority to search for the bodies of captives, alongside Egypt’s and Red Cross teams.

“For this purpose, Hamas members were allowed to pass the yellow line,” the source was quoted as saying.

Footage published by a regional network seemed to show members of a Hamas unit – belonging to the organization’s armed faction tasked with guarding hostages – accompanying a Red Cross vehicle in a coastal area near Rafah, which is beyond Israeli military control.

Difficulties in Locating Hostage Remains

The search for the bodies of Israeli hostages has turned into one of the most delicate issues in the ceasefire reached between the parties. Yet, the attempt to find the bodies has been difficult from the beginning, given the presence of an estimated 60m tonnes of rubble across the strip, where, according to health officials, at least 10,000 residents are recorded as unaccounted for, buried under the rubble.

Diverging Statements on Remains Whereabouts

Hamas has stated it does not know the exact locations of all the bodies, saying it has been unable to communicate with several of its teams that had been holding the hostages and were allegedly killed during military strikes.

However, an Israeli government spokesperson claimed that Hamas was aware of the whereabouts of the bodies. “If Hamas exerted greater effort, they would be able to recover the bodies of our hostages,” the official said.

US Stance and Weapons Surrender Talks

While the US president has conceded that some of the remains are difficult to access, he said that “others they can return immediately and, for some reason, they are not.”

“This could be related to the surrender of weapons of the group,” he added.

Washington has said it has obtained guarantees from the organization that the faction will surrender its arms, though no specific schedule has been set. The militant organisation remains reluctant to surrender its arms without firm assurances about the future of its fighters.