The Israeli military released drone footage it claims shows Hamas operatives burying remains and then faking their discovery for the Red Cross, calling it a ‘clear violation’ of their agreement.
JERUSALEM — The Israeli military on Tuesday accused Hamas of creating a “false impression” regarding its efforts to locate hostage remains in the Gaza Strip, claiming the group is still holding bodies “hostage” and violating a return agreement.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released drone footage that it alleges shows Hamas members moving the remains of a hostage, Ofir Tzarfati, from a building. The video then purportedly shows the operatives burying the remains in the Shejaiya neighborhood, only to later stage their discovery and recovery in front of members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
“The images clearly show that the terrorist organization Hamas is attempting to create a false impression of [its] efforts to locate the bodies,” an IDF statement said, asserting that Hamas is, in fact, “holding the deceased as hostages” by refusing to release them as required by the agreement.
The Prime Minister’s Office in Israel called the act “a clear violation of the ceasefire agreement” signed on October 10. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an urgent meeting with senior defense officials to determine a response.
The accusation prompted immediate calls for punitive action from hardline ministers. National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir demanded a resumption of bombing in Gaza, while Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich proposed recapturing prisoners who had been freed in previous exchanges.
Hamas has previously claimed it faces logistical difficulties in recovering bodies, citing widespread destruction in the enclave and a lack of specialized equipment.
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