Israel and Hamas trade blame as return of bodies threatens Gaza ceasefire

Hamas has stressed its commitment to the fragile ceasefire brokered by President Donald Trump as the militant group and Israel traded new accusations over the return of dead bodies

Hamas has stressed its commitment to the fragile ceasefire brokered by President Donald Trump as the militant group and Israel traded new accusations over the return of dead bodies.

Israel has demanded that Hamas do more to ensure the swift return of the bodies of the remaining 19 hostages in Gaza, saying the militant group knows where they are and warning that the Israeli military would plan to resume fighting if it fails to do so.

Hamas said Thursday that returning the bodies of the hostages “may take some time” as some were buried in tunnels that were destroyed by Israeli bombing. “Others remain under the rubble of buildings bombed and demolished,” it said in a statement.

The group reiterated its commitment to the ceasefire, and in a new statement Friday it urged mediators to follow up "on the implementation of the remaining provisions of the agreement," highlighting the need to increase the flow of aid into Gaza and begin the reconstruction process.

A vehicle transporting bodies of hostages arrives at the National Center for Forensic Medicine, in Tel Aviv on Wednesday.Ahmad Gharabli / AFP via Getty ImagesU.S. advisers have also said the process could take weeks, and that during negotiations all sides had acknowledged the difficulty of the recovery.