Hamas says it will hand over another hostage body as disputes over Turkish troops stall Trump’s Gaza plan
The armed wing of Hamas announced that it will hand over the body of another hostage it found in the Gaza Strip.
The recovery and return of the bodies of hostages who died in the area has been one of the obstacles to US President Donald Trump’s Gaza Strip plan.
The remains of the 13 dead hostages remain, and Hamas has cited obstacles to finding them in the rubble left by the conflict.
An Israeli government spokesman said on Sunday that the Palestinian militant group knew where the bodies were.
Israeli authorities on Sunday allowed an Egyptian technical team to work with the Red Cross to locate the bodies.
The team will use excavator machines and trucks to search the Gaza Strip beyond the so-called yellow line from which Israeli troops initially retreated under Mr Trump’s plan.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Monday that Israel will not allow Turkish soldiers to take part in the international peacekeeping force that the United States is considering forming to monitor the ceasefire agreement.
The 20-article ceasefire agreement brokered by Trump earlier this month envisions an international task force to monitor the ceasefire, but does not mention which countries will provide troops.
It says only that the United States will work with its Arab and international partners to develop an interim International Stabilization Force to be deployed in the Gaza Strip.
The force will provide training and support to “vetted Palestinian police forces” in the Gaza Strip and “consult with Jordan and Egypt, which have extensive experience in this field.”
According to US officials, the formation of the task force is ongoing.
However, Israeli officials said that the second phase of the ceasefire agreement has not started yet.
Speaking to journalists during his visit to Hungary, Saar said that Israel is against Türkiye’s participation due to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s hostility towards Israel.
Mr. Saar said that he conveyed to US officials that Israel is against Türkiye’s military intervention.
“Countries that are willing or ready to send armed forces must at least act fairly towards Israel,” Mr. Saar said.
US officials said there would be no US boots on the ground at the strip.
During their visit to Israel last week, US Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said many countries would be interested in joining an international force that would be deployed to the Gaza Strip and train the Palestinian police force for the future.
Rubio said the United States is trying to secure United Nations authorization or other international authorization for this force.
with AP
