Hamas freed the last 20 living hostages taken during its Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Hamas has returned the remains of nine hostages, but the process of returning the bodies of the last 19, as called for in the ceasefire agreement, has stalled.
Hamas says it hasn’t been able to reach all of the remains because they are buried under rubble left behind by Israel’s two-year offensive in the Gaza Strip. Israel has accused the militants of dragging their feet and threatened to resume military operations if all of the remains aren't returned.
