Israel says Hamas broke ceasefire by sending wrong hostage remains, weighs Gaza response

Tuesday 28th October 2025

by inAfrika Newsroom

Israel accused Hamas on Tuesday of violating the current U.S.-brokered ceasefire after Hamas handed over remains that Israeli forensics say belonged to a hostage who was already buried in 2023. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it a “clear violation” of the October 10 truce terms and said he will meet his security chiefs to consider a response.

Under the deal, Hamas agreed to free all surviving Israeli hostages and return the bodies of those killed. Hamas has released all the living captives. Israel says only 15 deceased hostages have come back, and 13 sets of remains are still missing. Hamas says it cannot locate every body because Israeli strikes and building collapses destroyed many sites in Gaza. Israel says Hamas is delaying on purpose.

Israeli forces also carried out a raid in Jenin in the occupied West Bank and said they killed three Palestinian militants. Gaza health officials say at least 68,500 Palestinians have been killed in the war to date, and that people in Gaza still hear drones, shelling, and airstrikes even under the truce. Israel disputes the accuracy of those death figures but has not offered its own full tally.

Netanyahu faces pressure on two fronts. Families of hostages want every body returned and accuse Hamas of cruelty. Security officials want freedom to strike Hamas again if, in their view, the group is using the ceasefire to regroup. Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who helped broker the ceasefire, warned Hamas to hand over the rest of the remains or face “consequences.”

Why it matters for Africa: The Gaza ceasefire shapes regional risk far beyond Israel and Palestine. Egypt is already brokering body transfers and aid convoys. If the deal collapses, the border will tighten again. A tighter border means slower aid, longer displacement, and more stress on Arab and African states that sit on migrant routes and already carry refugee pressure. For African diplomats, this is not a distant file. It is a stability file.