Hamas repeats claim it’s ready to recover all hostage bodies, but needs more time, machinery

Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya says in an interview with the Al-Qahira Al-Akhbariya channel that the terror group is willing to find and release the 15 bodies of hostages held in the Strip if it is given more time and heavy equipment.

“We are ready to recover and hand over all the bodies [of the hostages] according to the agreement; we have no desire to keep anyone with us — let them return to their relatives, and our martyrs will also return and be buried with dignity,” he says.

He adds that it is difficult to reach the bodies because some are under the ground and beneath buildings, and notes that this requires time and equipment.

Hamas has long said it would require additional machinery to locate the remaining deceased hostages. Israel accused Hamas of lying, saying it can return almost all of the bodies within a short timeframe. There are additionally concerns that the terror group could repurpose heavy equipment.

Al-Hayya also says that the guarantees Hamas received from the mediators and from the United States mean that the war in Gaza has ended.

He additionally stresses that they told the mediators that the amount of aid entering Gaza must be increased.