The United Nations humanitarian office in famine-stricken Gaza has received information from an Israeli military agency about a reduction in humanitarian aid. This was stated by the office's spokesperson, Olga Cherevko. According to three "Associated Press" sources who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter, U.S. officials have also been informed.
Redaksiya reports that on Tuesday, Hamas returned more bodies of deceased hostages to ease pressure on the fragile ceasefire in its war with Israel. This move came after an Israeli military agency indicated it would halve aid deliveries to Gaza due to concerns that the militant group was handing over remains slower than agreed.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 67,600 Palestinians have been killed as a result of the war. The Hamas-run government does not specify how many of them are civilians or combatants. The ministry states that women and children account for approximately half of the dead, and many independent experts say its figures are the most reliable estimate of war casualties.
On Tuesday, the Gaza Health Ministry reported that the bodies of three people killed in the north by Israeli military forces were taken to Al-Ahli Hospital. The military forces stated that soldiers "opened fire to eliminate the threat" of several individuals who approached them and failed to comply with an order to stop. It did not immediately comment on casualties.
Gal Hirsch, the senior Israeli official coordinating the return of hostages and missing persons, stated in a note sent to families that Hamas was being pressured through mediators to accelerate the process. A copy of the note was seen by "AP" and its authenticity was confirmed by someone familiar with the statement.
The U.S.-proposed ceasefire plan stipulated the handover of all living and deceased hostages within 72 hours, i.e., by Monday. However, if this did not occur, it provided a mechanism stating that Hamas should share information about deceased hostages and make "maximum effort" to hand them over as quickly as possible.
The Israeli Prime Minister's office confirmed late on Tuesday that authorities had received the bodies of four deceased hostages handed over by the Red Cross to Israeli military authorities inside Gaza. The bodies will be taken to the National Center of Forensic Medicine, where they will be identified and families will be informed.
Dell'Orto reported from Jerusalem. "Associated Press" journalists Matthew Lee and Aamer Mahdani from Washington; Farnoush