The Hamas terror group is continuing to claim that it is having difficulty locating the bodies of deceased hostages, despite Israeli intelligence assessments indicating that the terror group knows where almost all the bodies are located.
Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas leader, claimed Sunday night to Al Jazeera that Hamas had conveyed messages to mediators months ago regarding difficulties in locating the bodies.
“We told the mediators months ago that there are problems in searching for them because Israel has changed the landscape in the Gaza Strip, even in areas where the dead were buried. In some cases, it is no longer known where they were buried. There is American understanding of this issue, and we have made it clear,” he told the news outlet.
He also claimed that intensive efforts are underway on the ground to locate the bodies, saying, “Over the past week and the week before, after the release of the live hostages, there has been intensive and unusual work. Israel is monitoring these efforts.”
Al-Hayya also accused Israel of trying to renege on the ceasefire agreement and is using the issue of the deceased as a “pretext.”
“The problem today is not a real problem, but an excuse on Israel's part,” he alleged. “Our brothers are working in broad daylight, digging with outdated and very weak equipment, and continuing to dig more than 20 meters underground. Even US President Donald Trump himself understands this and is asking for more time.”
A senior Israeli official said last week that it is Hamas who is trying to deceive Israel, the mediators, and the United States. According to the official, the assessment is that Hamas could retrieve at least eight more bodies but is trying to manipulate Israel. In recent days, the terror group sent messages that it would return more bodies, but then failed to do so.