An IDF drone operating Tuesday over Gaza City recorded Hamas terrorists removing the body of a slain Israeli captive from an apartment in the Daraj-Tuffah neighborhood, placing it in a pit dug by a tractor, and covering it with soil. Moments later, the terrorists reportedly called representatives of the Red Cross.
The IDF has not yet released the footage, but according to reservists who witnessed the incident, the sequence was fully documented by the drone’s camera—from the removal of the body to the burial and the subsequent call to the Red Cross.
Search for bodies of Israeli captives in the Nuseirat refugee camp
The report, first aired by Israel’s Army Radio, was later confirmed by Knesset member Zvi Sukkot. In a letter to the IDF chief of staff and the defense minister, Sukkot wrote:
“The soldiers say the entire event was filmed by an IDF drone, clearly showing the actions of the terrorists—from taking the body out to presenting the so-called ‘discovery’ to the Red Cross. This is a blatant violation of the agreement with Hamas, a false propaganda effort, and an attempt to manipulate public opinion in Israel and abroad.”
Sukkot urged the army to release the footage to expose how Hamas exploits the bodies of slain Israeli captives for propaganda purposes. He said the incident violates the terms of the agreement requiring Hamas to return all hostages—both living and dead—held in Gaza.
In recent days, Hamas has claimed it does not know the location of all the slain captives. However, Israeli officials say the footage indicates otherwise and shows the terror group is not honoring its commitments.
According to assessments, the coffin Hamas transferred to Israel on Monday—said to have come from the same site in Tuffah—contained remains of a captive who had already been identified and buried in Israel. The coffin did not belong to any of the 13 slain captives still held by Hamas in Gaza.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to convene an emergency meeting today to decide on Israeli sanctions against Hamas after the terror group once again failed to return one of the 13 bodies. Israel is also seeking U.S. support for coordinated sanctions and is examining several options, including expanding the area under IDF control in Gaza—effectively moving the “yellow line” demarcating military zones.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said he would propose re-arresting all terrorists who were released in earlier prisoner exchange deals and are now in the West Bank.
Meanwhile, the Saudi channel Asharq reported that Hamas informed mediators it “plans to recover between seven and nine bodies,” while 13 slain captives remain in Gaza. Israeli intelligence believes Hamas could return at least eight of them, including Lt. Hadar Goldin and Col. Asaf Hamami, whose remains the terror group is believed to be deliberately withholding.