A Qatari spokesman says Hamas is not required to return hostage bodies before the ceasefire advances
A Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman said Hamas is not obligated to abide by the ceasefire requirement to return the bodies of Israeli hostages, arguing that Israel should simply give up on the captives in order to allow the agreement to move to phase two.
Under the Trump-brokered ceasefire implemented in October, Hamas must return the bodies of all hostages kidnapped from Israel during the October 7th massacres before phase two — which would permit massive rebuilding of the Gaza Strip — can begin.
Despite the clear terms of the agreement, Qatari official Majed al-Ansari dismissed Israel’s demand that Hamas return the bodies of two deceased hostages: Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, a police officer killed while battling invading terrorists, and Thai farm worker Sontisak Rintalak.