"Israel's military said Hamas handed over two coffins of deceased hostages from Gaza to the Red Cross late Saturday, while Israel increased pressure on the militant group to share the rest more quickly under their ceasefire. No names were immediately released. Israel announced earlier Saturday that Gaza's sole crossing with the outside world, Rafah, would stay closed until further notice, tying it to Hamas' release of remains. On Thursday it had said the crossing likely would reopen Sunday."
"Hamas has now handed over the remains of 12 of the 28 dead hostages in Gaza, a key step in the week-old ceasefire process meant to end two years of war. The militant group says devastation and Israeli military control of certain areas of Gaza have slowed the handover. The statement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office on the Rafah crossing came shortly after the Palestinian embassy in Egypt said it would reopen Monday for people returning to Gaza."
Hamas transferred two coffins to the Red Cross, bringing the total remains handed over in Gaza to 12 of 28 dead hostages under the ceasefire arrangement. Israel increased pressure on Hamas to expedite additional handovers and tied the Rafah crossing reopening to the release of remains. Hamas cited devastation and Israeli military control of parts of Gaza as causes of slow handovers. Israel returned 15 Palestinian bodies, raising its total returns to 135. Families in Gaza anxiously awaited identifications at hospitals, and Gaza's Health Ministry posted photos of unclaimed bodies to help locate relatives.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
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