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?

Thanks. I thought I was going crazy there for a minute with people acting like this news was new and not something that was known prior to the ceasefire.

Hamas have in the past and are now using dead hostages to get what they want. It’s possible that some of the bodies will be difficult to retrieve but they will know where they are.

It's obvious why Hamas may not be able to supply all the bodies. The more significant question is why they've been delaying with the ones they have. They returned only 4 on Monday, then magically managed to come up with a few more once they were told aid would be stopped if they don't comply.

This is what I'm thinking. There will be many Gazans who can't find their loved ones bodies as well.

This was my original thought… Do people believe Hamas has a cold room or morgue? How and where do you believe these bodies have been stored…

There is certainly a distinct silence on my social media feed from the usual friends who have spent the last 2 years reposting anti israel / pro Palestine content.

I’m hopeful those people are finally turning their selective activism to the other humanitarian crisis’ in the world now.

If you are clearly warned (leaflets were distributed) not to approach a line by an army that has been committing a ‘genocide’ on your people, then do so, then continue approaching after being told to stop, and then continue approaching after warning shots are fired, I think it is reasonable the army assume you are a threat.

A suicidal threat, which is a bigger threat than someone who has an instinct to stay alive.

Hamas obviously want to re-start the war, because they are terrorists who crave martyrdom, so they are trying to provoke Israel into attacking them again. That would also have the advantage, from their POV, of driving a wedge between Israel & Trump. If they attacked Israel, that would only strengthen Trump’s support for Netanyahu.

The IDF shot 5 people who crossed the yellow line agreed in the peace plan that they weren't allowed to cross.

The IDF says the five Palestinian suspects who were killed after approaching forces in Gaza City’s eastern Shejaiya neighborhood this morning had crossed the so-called Yellow Line, to which the military withdrew as part of the ceasefire.

Attempts were made to disperse the suspects, and after they refused to, the IDF says it carried out fire to “remove the threat.”

“The IDF calls on Gaza residents to follow its instructions and not to approach the troops deployed in the area,” the military adds.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-3-palestinians-killed-in-gaza-city-strike-had-crossed-ceasefire-line-and-neared-troops/

Well wherever they put them, they managed to return 3 last night who have now been identified as dead Israeli hostages, plus one more who apparently wasn't, and they've said 4 more will be coming later today. Some of these hostages have been dead 2 years, so Hamas were clearly able to hold onto human remains for the entirety of the period.

I've been thinking about this and there must be some kind of 'disaster specialists' that could be brought in to help retrieve all of the dead bodies? Every one of them was loved by someone, bringing in a team to help start the recovery process so everyone can be reunited with their loved ones is surely the way forward?

Very very dumb of them then. These hostages alive or dead are political leverage.

They have endless tunnels under schools and hospitals to store bodies and hostages.

Tunnels to hide in. Hide behind hospital patients and school children.

There is no line though FFS. They were unarmed.
Hardly surprising though, the IDF have been shooting civilians for a long time now.

I would also have my doubts that there is some sort of organised system in the midst of a war that they know exactly which body belongs to which individual. The storage of those bodies is not something I really want to consider.

They are dumb but not quite as stupid as that.

First they said they could only find 4. Then they could find 8 when Israel & Trump started talking tough again (though one was apparently not an Israel hostage after all but a Gazan). Then they could find another 4 as 4 more will be released later today supposedly.

I’m not surprised Hamas can’t/won’t return some of the bodies, 1.I do believe they can’t retrieve some of them 2. I doubt they actually care. I feel sorry for the families hopeful that their loved ones bodies would be returned so they can lay them to rest.

I’ve always been hopeful the ceasefire will hold but I don’t think it will. Both sides are lunatics and the Palestinian civilians suffer, even if they don’t support Hamas I imagine they are scared to say they don’t.

IMO Netanyahu/Trump would love the ceasefire to be broken so they can finish what they started and then they can build their Gazan riviera and make lots more money. Hamas won’t give a shit either way, they “top dogs” are all sat in luxury in other countries whilst their henchmen terrorise the population.

Hamas and the Israeli government should be put in the desert and can fight to the death, and let the Palestinians and Israeli’s live in peace.

I think that will happen, but the scale of it....It will take years...decades?

Which murderous thugs? Are you meaning hamas or IDF? I’m genuinely confused unless you elaborate more.

Assuming the bodies aren’t Palestinians. They’ve tried that one before.

They have a very complex, very robust tunnel system. This keeps them safe as well as their ammunition, medical and food supplies.
They didn't keep the hostages in a building overground!

That poor Palestinian woman, I wonder if they ever found out who she was?

Do you think it isn’t obvious to all Gazans, including civilians where the agreed designated areas agreed lie?
I’d imagine it’s quite clear even if there isn’t a literal line.

There is no actual line but it is well known where the IDF soldiers have retreated to and that they are not to be approached by civilians.

The Palestinians were shouted at not to come any further but they did. So were perceived as a potential threat and who knows really if they were armed or not. Even if they weren't the IDF wouldn't know that as they walked towards them, ignoring their calls to stop.

Hamas are despicable.

Then don't consider it. It doesn't much matter how they were capable of doing it, only that they did.

To reiterate, of the 7 identified hostage bodies released so far, at least 4 have been dead since October 2023. Which makes it very clear that Hamas indeed have ways to keep hostage remains safe and deliver them. If backed sufficiently into a corner.