'Israel' accuses Hamas of ceasefire breach after allegedly returning partial captive remains

Hamas faces renewed accusations of breaching the Gaza ceasefire after allegedly returning partial remains of a previously recovered captive, rather than delivering the body of another deceased captive, as demanded by 'Israel'.

Late Monday, Hamas handed over what it described as the 16th of 28 captive bodies agreed upon under the US-brokered ceasefire that took effect on October 10. However, 'Israeli' forensic teams determined that the remains were actually from a captive whose body had already been returned around two years ago.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office condemned the move as a “clear violation of the agreement,” identifying the remains as those of Ofir Tzarfati. “He had been returned from the Gaza Strip in a military operation about two years ago,” the statement said. Netanyahu is expected to hold a security discussion with military and intelligence leaders to determine 'Israel’s' next steps.

The family of Ofir Tzarfati confirmed that some of his remains were returned on Monday night, marking the third time they have received parts of his body. “This is the third time we have been forced to open Ofir's grave and rebury our son,” they said. “The circle supposedly 'closed' back in December 2023, but it never truly closes.”

The Hostages and Missing Families Forum also urged decisive action, stating, “In light of Hamas's severe breach of the agreement last night… the Israeli government cannot and must not ignore this, and must act decisively against these violations. Hamas knows the location of the hostages and continues to act with contempt, deceiving the United States and mediators while dishonouring our loved ones.”

Far-right ministers in 'Israel' intensified pressure on the government. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called for Hamas to be decisively weakened, saying, “It is time to break its legs once and for all… We must demand its very disappearance and destroy it completely.” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich demanded the re-arrest of all those freed in the hostage deal and condemned Hamas for its “repeated and ongoing violations.”

Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem denied claims that the group knows the locations of the remaining missing bodies, citing the extensive destruction from 'Israeli' bombardments over the past two years. “We are determined to hand over the bodies of the Israeli captives as soon as possible,” he said.

Hamas has already returned all 20 living captives as part of the ceasefire agreement