Hamas needs more time to recover hostages’ remains, U.S. advisers say

Hamas has acknowledged this issue, and said Wednesday that the remaining bodies required “significant efforts and specialized equipment to search for and retrieve.”

Early Thursday, Israel identified the latest two bodies returned by Hamas as Inbar Hayman and Sgt. Maj. Muhammad al-Atarash.

Funerals are being held as the dead hostages are returned.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz told senior Israel Defense Forces commanders Wednesday to prepare a military plan to defeat Hamas if the militant group refuses to implement Trump’s peace plan, according to Katz’s spokesperson.

“Hamas must return all the fallen hostages in its possession,” the spokesperson said, adding that if Hamas refused, “Israel, in coordination with the U.S., will return to fighting and act to decisively to defeat Hamas.”

The United Nations said Tuesday it had received a letter from COGAT, the Israeli military’s liaison with the Palestinians, informing them they would halve the amount of aid due to the slow release of the remains of hostages.

Two years after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks on Israel that killed 1,200 and triggered the war in Gaza, Israeli attacks have killed nearly 70,000 people in the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian health officials. The enclave lies in ruins, and a vast majority of the population lives without adequate access to shelter and medical care. Famine was declared in parts of Gaza in August.

On Wednesday, Gaza’s Health Ministry said 45 deceased Palestinians being held by Israel were returned to Gaza, bringing the total number of bodies received to 90.

Dr. Ahmed Edheir, director of forensic medicine in the Gaza Strip, said that all of the victims were missing a “thumb or big toe.” NBC News was not able to independently verify this claim.

The Israel Prison Service directed NBC News to the IDF, which did not respond to a request for comment.

Katz also demanded that Hamas disarm, as stipulated in Trump’s agreement and in line with one of Israel’s longtime war aims, or face renewed military action.