Hamas says Rafah closure to delay handover of Israeli hostage remains

Jerusalem, Oct 19 (IANS) Hamas said that Israel's continued closure of the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip will "delay recovery operations and the handover of bodies of Israeli hostages."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to keep the crossing closed until further notice "constitutes a blatant breach of the ceasefire agreement and a repudiation of the commitments he made before mediators and guarantor parties," Hamas said in a press statement on Saturday (local time).

Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said early Saturday in a statement that it had received the body of the 10th deceased Israeli hostage held in Gaza from Hamas, apart from all the remaining 20 living hostages.

On Saturday evening, the IDF updated that it received the bodies of two more deceased Israeli hostages, reports Xinhua news agency.

A ceasefire, mediated by Egypt, Qatar, Turkey, and the United States, went into effect on October 10. Its first phase includes the exchange of prisoners and detainees, the entry of humanitarian aid into Gaza, and a partial withdrawal of Israeli forces.

Earlier on Saturday, the Palestinian Embassy in Cairo said the Rafah border crossing will reopen on Monday to allow Palestinians residing in Egypt who wish to return to Gaza to pass. Meanwhile, Palestinian sources told Xinhua that the crossing will reopen in both directions, and that in the first phase of the ceasefire, Israel should allow around 50 wounded Palestinians and their companions to leave through the crossing daily.

However, Netanyahu's office said later in a statement that the crossing will not open until further notice, and that its opening will be under consideration in accordance with how Hamas implements its part in the return of the deceased hostages and the implementation of the agreed framework.

Israel's military campaign has killed 68,116 Palestinians and injured 170,200 others since October 7, 2023, according to Gaza's health authorities. Despite the ceasefire, 27 Gazans have been killed and 143 injured since October 11, the authorities said in an update on Saturday.

--IANS

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