Red Cross vehicles and a member of the Qassam Brigades
Hamas, Red Cross launch joint operation in Gaza to recover bodies
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A joint field operation was launched Friday in the Gaza Strip between the Al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
According to a source within the Palestinian resistance in Gaza, the operation aims to implement parts of the recently signed ceasefire agreement, specifically, the clauses related to the exchange of bodies.
The source said that “the International Red Cross and Al-Qassam Brigades headed to areas east of Khan Younis in southern Gaza” with the specific purpose of “searching for the bodies of detained ‘Israelis.’”
This mission comes at a sensitive time, just one day after 'Israel' announced it had received the bodies of two detained individuals.
Field operation and dual mission
Sources confirmed that the Qassam Brigades and the Red Cross are operating in the eastern Khan Younis area, one of the regions that witnessed intense military activity prior to the ceasefire’s implementation.
The direct cooperation between Hamas’ military wing and a neutral international organization like the ICRC to search for “the bodies of detained ‘Israelis’” is part of the complex mechanism outlined in the truce agreement.
This coordination indicates a continued commitment to upholding the humanitarian clauses of the deal, despite repeated field violations and ongoing tensions.
The search is reportedly intended to locate the remaining bodies that have not yet been recovered, completing the body exchange component of the agreement.
Background: fragile truce and previous handovers
The move follows Thursday’s announcement by the office of 'Israeli' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that it had received the bodies of two detained ‘Israelis’ in Gaza.
That handover came a day after a previous exchange on Wednesday, suggesting that the process of exchanging political prisoners and bodies is being carried out in stages.
These exchanges are part of the first phase of the prisoner and body exchange agreement linked to the ceasefire in Gaza, which took effect on October 10.
The ceasefire ended a two-year war waged by 'Israel' that left more than 68,000 people dead and 170,000 wounded, most of them women and children.
Ongoing violations and siege
Despite the agreement’s formal enforcement, the truce remains fragile. The resistance source noted that “the occupation has committed numerous violations and continues to impose a severe blockade on Gaza.”
The Gaza Health Ministry released alarming figures, reporting that since the ceasefire between Hamas and Tel Aviv, brokered by Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey under US sponsorship, ‘Israel’ has killed 211 Palestinians and injured 597 others.
These statistics underscore the fragile security situation and the ongoing concerns about 'Israel's' adherence to the deal.
Significance of the joint move
The joint operation by the Red Cross and the Al-Qassam Brigades in eastern Khan Younis is seen as a strong indication that both parties are working to preserve the understandings reached in the ceasefire and to overcome obstacles to its humanitarian implementation.
Diplomatic sources noted that mediation efforts led by Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey - with US backing - remain active in pushing the parties toward fulfilling their commitments, despite persistent political tensions and field violations that threaten to unravel the truce and reignite the aggression.
