What are Hamas playing at?

[elprup]

It’s deeply worrying that Hamas haven’t returned all the dead hostages as agreed. I’ve seen comments saying it’s an impossible task given how Gaza has been reduced to rubble. But if that’s the case, they would have known they had lost the bodies. So why did they agree to return them if they knew they weren’t able to do so?

none of the dead Palestinians that Israel hold have been returned

Yes they have. It has been reported in The Guardian

Forensic authorities in Gaza have started the identification process of 45 bodies of Palestinians that Israel released on Tuesday as part of the ceasefire deal, according to the health ministry. Israel is expected to transfer more bodies, though the total number has not been announced.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/oct/15/gaza-ceasefire-israel-hamas-palestine-aid-hostages-detainees-prisoners-live-news-updates

Why? They have already released a body who it turns out isnt who they said it was.

They may value Jewish lives like that but I don't think anyone can argue they value "life".

Because the other explanation for that is that they're doing it on purpose to cause grief. They did this previously with Shiri Bibas, one of the most famous hostages, and managed to send her back the next day when it was pointed out they were breaking the ceasefire. You are free if you wish to believe that was pure coincidence, but at minimum there's another possibility. You're making assumptions.

We are talking about a terror organisation sponsored by Qatar and Iran, emboldened by western governments. They built an underground infrastructure using billions of aid dollars and invaded Israel knowing exactly what would happen yet didn’t provide any safe rooms or shelters. We are talking about a terror group who have stated numerous times openly and proudly that they don’t want peace, they want to take all of Israel, and kill every Jew on it. They prepared for Oct 7 extensively, provided drugs, weapons, vehicles, GoPro cameras, and stated before Israel responded that their intention was to take as many hostages as possible in order to release prisoners, and to create a genocide with which to blame Israel. You can go look it up, it’s all documented and anything you find in Arabic can easily be translated.
Released hostages have spoken about their ordeal in Gaza, where they were held, what was going on around them.
You can support Palestinians, I certainly do, I really really wish that they could be self sufficient, deradicalised, prosperous and democratic. But whilever they believe that Hamas will free Palestine from the river to the sea and remove the Jews, Hamas will retain control and their money will keep flowing. They absolutely know what they are doing. It’s all pretty much what they expected. They knew they’d be safe underground and they knew Israel wouldn’t decimate Gaza on Oct 8, and they knew that they would successfully propaganda-ise the west.

I really think you are misunderstanding me. I am in no way supporting Hamas (or the other side actually). I am merely stating that under those conditions, and given the cruelness of Hamas (as you are stating here again), I certainly doubt that they have shown any honour to dead bodies in making sure they are kept in an orderly fashion, tagged and identified and be confident enough to know exactly who they have and who they are releasing. Seems a stretch of the imagination given the destruction and devastation of Gaza.

But according to posters on here, there is nowhere for them to store these bodies for identification in Gaza.

It's funny how Hamas can be organised when they want to, isn't it?

In a war zone it is not naive
If they were in hospitals most have been bombed
If they were in buildings most have been bombed
There is no equipment to lift the rubble and heavy masonry

War graves from WW1 and 2 are still being found today
It is naive not to acknowledge the reality of war

I didn't say you supported Hamas. You're making assumptions regardless of your wider feelings about the conflict.

All we actually know is that Hamas have proved they were able to keep hold of multiple sets of remains for the whole of the conflict despite the conditions, that they were suddenly able to produce some when threatened, that they have said there'll be others to come and that the Israelis are doing DNA testing. The rest is assumption and opinion.

The reality of this war is that Hamas were able to hold onto at least 7 sets of human remains, some of which they've had since October 2023. Thus whatever the conditions in Gaza are, we literally already know that this is what they did.

Hamas aren't resistance, neither was October 7th.

I'm obviously being naive, but why does being able to preserve some bodies mean they must have them all? Were they all held/killed in the same place?

I would think that any bodies with bullet or blade marks on bone consistent with torture or execution would've had a few gallons of petrol and a match months ago.

Youre apparently not allowed to have any curiosity about the 'how' ... You must just accept that they did. ;)

Looks like you missed the part where I said it wouldn't be a surprise if Hamas couldn't get all of the bodies.

Nobody is preventing you from ghouling poring over the practicalities to your heart's content. Personally if I cared that much I'd probably at least take note of the replies containing the only information anyone on here is likely to be able to provide, but you do you!

Thanks Alantraitor
I didn’t see that news update

I’ve also just spotted on your link that Israel have pulled back from threat to slash humanitarian aid
Which is excellent news !

The videos I have seen on X are vile, I had to look away on one. Hamas have been slaughtering and torturing Palestinian people in the streets within a day of the ceasefire. I wonder where the protests will be for these atrocities? 👀

Whilst Hammas face no consequences for the part they played? Strutting about yesterday, shooting their own people, refusing to return bodies to Israel and presumably cheered on by the dim Palestinians who still think Hamas are freedom fighters. They should be lined up against a wall and shot. Bizarre that you're babbling on about the Israeli leader facing trial but dont seem to be concerned about leaving the clueless Palestinians to the mercy of Hamas.

The 9000 aren't hostages. They're prisoners for crimes committed...there lies the difference. Releasing thousands of criminals back into Gaza. What could possibly go wrong...

We don’t know of their previous location
Clearly they were in an accessible and known place or they wouldn’t have been returned so quickly

It’s not inconceivable to understand not everyone will be in the same place.
It was a war zone !
It’s now a demolition site.

The cease fire won't hold. It can't you have two of the most evil groups in the world fighting each other to the death. They need divide the country and have a demilitarised zone between them like between North and South Korea.

There's a clause in the agreement that makes allowances for them not being able to find all the bodies by the deadline.

They weren't charged, so presumably there was no evidence. They were just people rounded up in Gaza and held without trial.

I think that’s very true and they ARE two of the most evil groups in the world. The difference between them is that Israel is supported by the US, led by a narcissistic madman, while the rest of the world sits back, watches what is going on, and continues to trade with Israel.